High Power Solid State Amplifiers

As solid state power device technology advances, many institutions have carried out studies and developed various prototypes in attempts to achieve a reliable, cost effective, ultra-high power output solid state transmitter (SSTx) that could compete with and replace Klystron and travelling wave tube (TWT) technologies. The solid state units sum up power by combining many Power Amplifier Unit (PAU) modules utilizing various conventional power combining schemes. These efforts have not reached a compatible, and thus not competitive, power output level to rival Klystrons. In addition, the complexity of the various high power solid state transmitter developments to date has further compromised their potential benefits in terms of life-cycle costs and overall reliability. Significantly, at the conclusion of Phase I Daico Industries showed that an extraordinarily reliable high power radar transmitter based on solid state technologies to be a feasible alternative to the legacy technology presently in wide spread usage within the USN and more widely DoD.