Microwave Class-F and Inverse Class-F Power Amplifiers Designs using GaN Technology and GaAs pHEMT

Abstract

This paper presents the designs and results of two high-efficiency harmonics-tuned microwave power amplifiers (PA): the first one is a 2 GHz class-F PA in monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) by using GaN HEMT technology, and the other one is a 2.45-GHz inverse class-F PA using packaged GaAs pHEMT devices with PCB technology. In the class-F MMIC PA, field-plated GaN HEMT device is used for high-power performance. The 2.0-GHz class-F MMIC PA achieves a PAE of 50%, 38 dBm output power, and 6.2 W/mm power density. The inverse class-F PA at 2.45 GHz achieves 22.6 dBm output power and 73% PAE at 3 dB compression, and has very low cost