Multi-Watt Wideband MMICs in GaN and GaAs

A comparison is presented of 4 to 18 GHz MMIC power amplifiers implemented in AlGaN-GaN HEMT and GaAs PHEMT with common circuit design technology. Both GaN and GaAs MMICs were designed as non-uniform distributed power amplifiers and achieved approximately 4 Watts over the band. The circuit complexity of the GaAs circuit is much greater than for GaN, as shown by the relative transistor output peripheries of 14.4 mm and 2 mm. The authors believe that both the GaN and GaAs MMICs have higher power than any published result of comparable bandwidth.