Microchip continues to expand its portfolio of gallium nitride (GaN) RF power devices

New monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) and discrete devices meet performance requirements for 5G, satellite communications and defense applications

Microchip Technology Inc. (Microchip Technology) today announced a significant expansion of its gallium nitride (GaN) radio frequency (RF) power device portfolio, launching new monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) and discrete transistors with frequencies up to 20 gigahertz (GHz). These devices combine high power added efficiency (PAE) and high linearity, providing new levels of performance for applications such as 5G, electronic warfare, satellite communications, commercial and defense radar systems and test equipment.

Like all of Microchip’s GaN RF power products, the new devices are manufactured using GaN-on-SiC technology, which provides an optimal combination of high power density and yield, operating at high voltages and with a lifetime of more than 1 million hours at a 255°C junction temperature.

These products include GaN MMICs covering 2 to 18 GHz and 12 to 20 GHz with up to 20W RF output power at 3 dB compression point (P3dB) and up to 25% efficiency from 12 to 20 GHz; bare die and packaged GaN MMIC amplifiers for S and X bands with up to 60% PAE, and discrete high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices covering DC to 14 GHz with up to 100W RF output power at P3dB and 70% maximum efficiency. 

“Microchip continues to invest in its GaN RF portfolio to support a wide range of applications at all frequencies, from microwave to millimeter wavelengths,” said Leon Gross, vice president of Microchip’s discrete products business unit. “Our portfolio includes more than 50 devices from low power levels to 2.2 kilowatts. The products announced today span 2 to 20 GHz and are designed to address the linearity and efficiency challenges posed by higher-order modulation techniques used in 5G and other wireless networks, as well as the unique needs of satellite communications and defense applications.”

In addition to GaN devices, Microchip's RF semiconductor product portfolio includes gallium arsenide (GaAs) RF amplifiers and modules, low noise amplifiers, front-end modules (RFFE), varactor diodes, Schottky and PIN diodes, RF switches and voltage variable attenuators. In addition, the company provides high-performance surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) oscillators and highly integrated modules. These modules combine a microcontroller (MCU) with an RF transceiver (Wi-Fi® MCU) to support major short-range wireless communication protocols from Bluetooth® and Wi-Fi to LoRa®.

development tools

Microchip and its distribution partners provide board design support to help customers design in. In addition, the company also provides compact models for this new GaN product, making it easier for customers to build performance models and speed up the design of power amplifiers in their systems.

Availability

The devices announced today, including the ICP0349 and ICP0349PP7, as well as other Microchip RF products, are in production now. For more information, please contact a Microchip sales representative or visit Microchip's website. To purchase Microchip GaN products, please contact a Microchip authorized distributor.

resource

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