Best performing Ku band power fet yet
Toshiba has developed a GaN power fet for the Ku band (12 to 18GHz) that achieves an output power of 65.4W at 14.5GHz, the highest level of performance yet reported at this frequency band.
The main application of the new transistor will be in base stations for satellite microwave communications, which carry high capacity signals, including HD broadcasts. Toshiba plans to start mass production by the end of March 2008.
Advances in Ku-band microwave amplifiers focus on replacing the electron tubes conventionally used at this bandwidth with semiconductors, particularly GaN devices, which offer advantageous high power characteristics at higher microwave frequencies.
The new power FET has a high electron mobility transistor structure that Toshiba has optimised for the Ku-band. The company replaced source wire bonding with via hole technology to reduce parasitic inductance, whilst improving overall design of the matching circuit for practical application at Ku-band frequencies.
