Microwave and millimeter wave power amplifiers: Technology, applications, benchmarks, and future trends

Solid State Transistor Device Technology is ubiquitous in communications, radar, electronic warfare, and instrumentation applications. This abridged presentation will cover Si LDMOS, PHEMT, InP HEMT/MHEMT and GaN HEMT. Content includes principles of operation, structures, characteristics, classes of operation, and device state of the art benchmarks. The art of power amplifier design is approached from a historical perspective. Power amplifiers utilizing these device technologies covering UHF through sub-millimeter wave are described including amplifier state of the art benchmarks. Future trends are highlighted and summarized.