Fabless mmWave semiconductor startup mmTron Inc. announced the highest efficiency class AB GaN power amplifier (PA) MMIC for the 17.3 to 21.2 GHz satellite downlink band. Available either as a die for assembly in multi-chip modules or in a surface-mount package, the TMC261 covers 17.3 to 21.2 GHz with margin and provides 1.1 W of output power with 35 percent power-added efficiency at a noise power ratio (NPR) of 13 dB.

“High data rate communications satellites require PAs with very high linearity and high efficiency — two parameters that are difficult to achieve simultaneously,” said Seyed Tabatabaei, mmTron’s CEO and founder. “Our engineers designed this PA to achieve both, aiming to set a new standard for satellite applications. We’ve already received an order from the largest European satellite payload manufacturer to evaluate the TMC261 for a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation.”

The three-stage MMIC provides 31 dBm output power at 1 dB compression and has 24 dB linear gain. The PA draws 74 mA at the recommended drain bias of 18 V. The bias can be increased to 24 V to increase the output power to 2 watts, maintaining good efficiency and NPR.

The TMC261 die measures 3.5 mm x 2.5 mm and is 0.1 mm thick, and the PA is also offered in a 6 mm x 6 mm air-cavity QFN.

The MMIC is fabricated with a high reliability GaN process that has been used for LEO satellite applications. Gold is used for the bond pad and backside metallization, which is compatible with ball and wedge bonding and eutectic and epoxy die attach assembly processes.

mmTron will be discussing the performance of the TMC261 at the 2023 IEEE BiCMOS and Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuits and Technology Symposium (BCICTS) in Monterey, Calif., 15–18 October. 

Samples of the TMC261 will be available for customer evaluation during the fourth quarter of 2023.