Watt-Level Ka-Band Quasi-Optical Amplifier Arrays

Small-signal gain, resonant-mode gain, and saturated output power are studied on two Ka-band quasi-optical slot-antenna amplifier arrays fabricated with commercial MMICs on aluminum-nitride substrates. The amplifier arrays have small-signal gains of 2.1dB at 31.02 GHz and 6.5 dB at 31.40 GHz, respectively. The average small-signal gain of the active array is 10 dB over passive. In resonant mode, the amplifiers have small-signal gains of 10.7 dB at 31.52 GHz and 11.8 dB at 31.47GHz. In saturation, the arrays deliver 89 W EIRP or 0.3W output power at 30.40 GHz and 145 W EIRP or 0.5 W output power at 31.15GHz, respectively.