Substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) power amplifier using CBCPW-to-SIW transition for matching network

In this paper, for the first time a novel substrate integrated waveguide (SIW)-based 10W power amplifier (PA), designed with conductor-backed coplanar waveguide (CBCPW)-to-SIW transition matching network (MN), is presented. Transition between CBCPW and SIW is employed for both input and output MN designs, the proposed SIW PA can be easily connected with any microstrip or SIW-based circuits. Asymmetrical and symmetrical types of CBCPW-to-SIW transition MN are proposed. Output SIW-based MN is designed with asymmetrical structure by using one inductive metalized post and input SIW-based MN is designed with symmetrical structure by using two identical inductive metalized posts. One SIW-based 10W PA using GaN HEMT at 3.62 GHz is designed, fabricated, and measured. Measured results show that the maximum power added efficiency (PAE) is 54.24 % with 39.74 dBm output power and the maximum gain is 13.31 dB. At the design frequency of 3.6 GHz, the size of proposed SIW-based PA is comparable with other microstrip-based PAs.