Ampleon has released the first of a family of LDMOS RF power devices based upon its Advanced Rugged Technology (ART), a derivative of its proven ninth-generation high voltage LDMOS process. ART was developed to enable extremely rugged transistors with operating voltages up to 65 V and high breakdown.

The first product to use the process, the ART2K0FE, is a 2 kW transistor covering DC to 650 MHz and assembled in an air-cavity ceramic package. Ampleon also offers a lower thermal resistance, over-molded plastic version, the ART2K0PE.

Designed to withstand the harshest conditions found in industrial, scientific and medical applications — driving high-power CO₂ lasers, plasma generators and some MRI systems — the ART2K0FE can handle VSWR mismatches of 65:1 at 65 V.

The ART2K0FE (air cavity ceramic package) is sampling now, with reference circuits available at different frequencies. Production for both package versions is planned for the second half of 2019.

Ampleon guarantees the ART devices will be available for 15 years, allowing designers to use them in long-lived programs.

Devices built with the ART process have a higher output impedance than LDMOS devices operating at lower voltage, making them easier to match and achieving greater consistency in production. The process also delivers higher efficiency than competing LDMOS transistors, which simplifies the thermal design and reduces power dissipation — hence, operating costs. The process also provides high device power density, yielding smaller and lower-cost packages, in turn reducing board footprint.