Linearity Improvement of MMIC Power Amplifiers at Reduced Output Power Backoff

The Phase 2 proposal details a comprehensive plan for the design and development of high power, high linearity, and high efficiency GaN amplifiers for millimeter-wave applications. Our plan is based around consideration of many elements within the design process including: device modeling, device layout, loadpull, harmonic loadpull, thermal management, interstage power margin, packaging, long term reliability, and linearization. We will investigate multiple amplifier topologies including a Doherty amplifier for improved efficiency at lower input drive levels. Our designs will rely heavily on electromagnetic techniques as a means of minimizing the die size and hence its manufactured cost. At the end of this contract, we will not only have developed state-of-the-art amplifiers, but also a complete design methodology for GaN amplifiers that can be applied across the frequency spectrum for other Win-T applications at K, Ka, and Q-bands.