W-Band Power Amplifier Based on Wide Bandgap Technology

Millimeter-wave radars, operating in W-band centered at the 94 GHz low atmospheric attenuation window, provide advantages of high resolution with small antenna, penetration through fog, clouds, smoke, and dust. This program is aimed at the development of state-of-the-art high power solid-state power amplifiers for use in W-band active antenna arrays and radar transmitters. QuinStar Technology teamed with HRL proposes to develop an SSPA capable of >5W output with >25 dB gain, >15% power added efficiency by utilizing GaN MMIC technology. In Phase I, starting with the W-band MMIC cell device which HRL has demonstrated 2W/mm output power capability, we will investigate the feasibility of achieving >4W/mm power density by optimizing material and device parameters by means of simulation analysis. We will then develop a preliminary MMIC design by combining cells on chip to achieve 1.5W per MMIC chip with reasonable process yield. To achieve >5W output power, we propose to develop an amplifier design with high efficiency (low loss) 4-way combiner, which QuinStar has recently demonstrated 5W amplifiers in phase II that will enable W-band active array and radar transmitter development.