Broadband 1.7–2.8 GHz high-efficiency (58%), high-power (43 dBm) Class-BJ GaN power amplifier including package engineering

In this paper a broadband high-efficiency Class-BJ GaN HEMT-PA for wireless communication applications is realized. Influences of packaging and bond wires on the PA performance are investigated in order to demonstrate and use accurate package models. A novel optimization of bond wires for packaged powerbars is therefore performed and, subsequently a fully characterized PA is effectively designed. For the fully assembled PA module, measurement results demonstrated targeted broadband performance reaching approximately 50% operation bandwidth in the frequency range 1.7 - 2.8 GHz with 52 - 59% PAE, 58 - 66% drain efficiency and 43 - 44.5 dBm delivered output power while maintaining over 10 dB of G_T.