Broadband Power Amplifier Solutions from 4kHz to 18GHz

The main challenges in designing broadband power amplifiers involve selecting amplifier circuit and combiner topologies, finding a suitable compromise between power, linearity and bandwidth as well as utilizing the appropriate state-of-the-art assembly and packaging technologies. In this workshop contribution, circuit and combiner topologies are presented for broadband power amplifiers moving up ladder from 4kHz to 18GHz for power levels up into the kilowatt range. Suitable assembly and packaging technologies for amplifiers including power transistors on printed circuits boards (PCBs) over microwave integrated circuits (MICs) all the way to fully monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) are presented. For the realization of broadband power combiners, solutions ranging from coaxial transformers with ferrites, printed combiners as well as waveguide combiners are discussed. A focus is put on how to successfully implement broadband amplifier designs in series production.