High-Power (>2 W) E-Band PA MMIC Based on High Efficiency GaN-HEMTs with Optimized Buffer

The demonstration of a highly-efficient AlGaN/GaN-HEMT technology for the realization of an E-band power amplifier MMIC with a saturated CW output power of >2 W is presented in this paper. AlGaN/GaN-HEMTs in 100-nm gate-length technology, incorporating AlN-interlayer epitaxy and optimized GaN buffer layer thickness, have been developed to enable multi-Watt power levels at E-band frequencies. The fabricated PA MMIC exhibits >22 dB small-signal gain across 81–86 GHz while delivering peak output power of 33.5 dBm (2.2 W) at 84 GHz with an associated power gain of 17 dB. The maximum achieved PAE at this frequency is 10%. The measurement results endorse the potential of the 100-nm GaN-HEMT technology with enhanced efficiency for use in next generation E-band satellite and fixed wireless communication networks.