Electronic Science and Technology ›› 2023, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (8): 65-71.doi: 10.16180/j.cnki.issn1007-7820.2023.08.010

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Overview of Gallium Nitride Solid State Power Amplifier Development

XIE Hongxing,LU Hongmin,LIU Liang,REN Yongda,LI Min,ZHANG Jiahai   

  1. School of Electronic Engineering,Xidian University,Xi'an 710071,China
  • Received:2022-03-30 Online:2023-08-15 Published:2023-08-14
  • Supported by:
    Defense Advanced Research Projects(JZX7X201901JY0048)

Abstract:

Solid-state power amplifiers using semiconductor technology have the advantages of small size and high stability, and have replaced traditional travelling wave tube amplifiers in many microwave applications. Among all types of semiconductor materials, the third-generation semiconductor material GaN(Gallium Nitride) has been widely used in power amplifiers because of its advantages of wide band gap, high electron mobility, and high breakdown voltage. Based on the development of power amplifiers, this study describes the development history of solid-state power amplifiers, summarizes the performance comparison between GaN technology and other semiconductor technologies, and focuses on power amplifiers using GaN HEMT(GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor) technology. This study discusses various types of GaN HEMT power amplifiers, including class A, B, C, D, and E, etc., introduces the efficiency and linearity improvement techniques applied to GaN power amplifiers, including Doherty power amplifiers and envelopes tracking technology, and digital pre-distortion technology, etc., and makes a summary and comparison of related technologies.

Key words: gallium nitride, solid state power amplifiers, GaN power amplifiers, gallium nitride high electron mobility transistors, semiconductor technology, Doherty power amplifiers, envelope tracking, digital predistortion

CLC Number: 

  • TN385