Nitronex, a leader in the design and manufacture of gallium nitride (GaN) based RF solutions for high performance applications in the defense, communications, cable TV, and industrial and scientific markets, has developed the NPA1004, a 1 to 2 GHz, 50 W high gain PA for the military communications market. Fully integrated input matching, inter-stage matching, and RF biasing is provided in a small 0.28" X 0.28" package, allowing subsystem designers to significantly shrink the footprint of the power amplifier signal chain compared to competing solutions. The NPA1004 achieves 27 dB small signal gain, 50 W saturated output power and 55 percent typical drain efficiency across 1 to 2 GHz. The miniature NPA1004 features an off-chip output match that allows designers to tailor performance response to their unique system needs. The high gain of the MMIC PA allows designers to eliminate a driver stage and the high levels of integration reduce board space, while simplifying design and manufacturing processes.

"As a market leader in supplying GaN RF products for the military communications industry, we worked closely with leading prime contractors and PA suppliers to define and develop the NPA1004," said Gary Blackington, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Nitronex. "Our close relationships with these customers have enabled us to develop products that are ideally suited to their end applications."

"The NPA1004 is a prime example of our ability to deliver high performance, highly integrated GaN MMICs at solution costs as good as or better than discrete FET-based amplifiers," said Ray Crampton, Vice President of Engineering. "Our proprietary GaN-on-Si process, which has been used to ship over 50,000 production MMICs, allows us to offer more functionality in a smaller footprint than competing technologies."

The NPA1004 is currently available in sample and pre-production quantities.