It is not surprising that the largest category of news items we received for the show was for amplifiers but I was a little taken back that is was almost a third of the bunch. Here are some of the various show news items for amplifier products:
Narda’s Multifunction MIC portfolio will be represented by a Ka-band 10 W solid-state power amplifier, Ku-band and Ka-band block up/down converters, and a family of variable phase and variable output power amplifiers covering 2.7 to 43 GHz. For satcom ground terminal applications, Narda will demonstrate frequency generators that can serve as local oscillators in frequency converters and transceivers. The quad-band downconverter, for example, uses a proprietary source that produces outputs at 6.3, 8.75, 9.6, 10.0, 10.5, 10.75 and 11.25 GHz from RF inputs of 5.0 and 6.3 GHz. In addition, the Model 15172 L-band transceiver adapts military 70 MHz satellite communication modems to single-band, tri-band, or quad-band block converters that require L-band IF inputs and outputs. It converts signals at the 70 MHz IF frequency to any L-band frequency from 950 MHz to 2 GHz with a 1 MHz or optional 20 kHz step size.
Freescale Semiconductor introduced five laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) field effect transistors (FET) for commercial aerospace applications. The expanded RF portfolio includes L-band (965 to 1215 MHz) devices and the first LDMOS FETs for aerospace applications at S-band (3.1 to 3.5 GHz).
TriQuint Semiconductor announced that it has been awarded leadership of Phase III of a multi-year gallium nitride (GaN) research and development contract by the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The contract, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), was awarded based on TriQuint surpassing Phase II goals. The overall program is designed to develop new high power, wideband GaN amplifiers for a range of defense applications. TriQuint Semiconductor also introduced the high output, ultra-linear TGA2807-SM gain block for cable TV headend applications. It is tailored for the performance requirements of DOCSIS® 3.0 systems and builds on the successful heritage of TriQuint’s TGA2806-SM and TGA2803-SM. The new TGA2807-SM offers ACPR ~2 dB better than previous generations for given bias and power levels. It can also be operated with significantly reduced power consumption while still meeting DOCSIS 3.0 specifications.
Power Module Technology introduced the PP88-108-1500, a very high power Class AB pallet amplifier providing 1500 W CW Power output. Featuring the latest generation of LDMOS transistors, the PP88-108-1500 provides the most CW FM power available anywhere in the world today. Thermal tracking bias allows the PP88-108-1500 to operate Class AB providing 1500 W PEP with typical 2-tone IMDs of -30 dB, making it an excellent choice for the digital FM market.
Teledyne Microwave introduced a 25 W linear Ku-band SSPA that is based on wideband driver modules and a balanced Ku-band MMIC output stage. This 14.40 to 15.4 GHz amplifier includes a TTL enable/disable function, a temperature compensation circuit, Low Drop-Out (LDO) regulators, a negative voltage generator and a sequencer circuit to guarantee that the negative voltage is presented to the power MMICs before the positive voltage is applied.
AmpliTech is featuring an amplifier that operates in a frequency range from 12 to 18 GHz. The amplifier is a breakthrough in amplifier technology because the noise figure is 0.9 dB over the entire band. Not only is the noise figure consistent across the band, but so is the gain and output power. The APT2-12001800-1105-D2 is available in the company’s smallest housing (D2).
Empower's BBM3K5KKO high-power super broadband amplifier module covers 500 to 2500 MHz at 50 dB of gain and 100 W output power. The module is very compact at 10 inches long and one inch thick, and uses GaN devices that provide high gain, excellent efficiency and extended bandwidth. The BBM2E3KKO high-power RF amplifier module covers 20 to 520 MHz at 50 dB of gain and 100 W output power. The module is very compact at less than 6.5 inches long and approximately one inch thick, and uses LDMOS devices that provide excellent linearity and high gain. The BBS3C3KUT is a high-gain, high-power general purpose amplifier system. It covers 100 to 500 MHz and provides 60 dB of gain at 1,000 W output power. And the BBS3C3KUT is a high-gain, high-power general purpose amplifier system. It covers 100 to 500 MHz and provides 60 dB of gain at 1,000 W output power.
AR’s model 20S6G18, a 20 W solid state amplifier covering 6 to 18 GHz, provides high gain, low noise, good linearity and excellent mismatch capability. The amplifier also delivers superior EVM (error vector magnitude) performance. With a minimum of 43 dB gain and a typical noise figure of 6 dB, the 20S6G18 offers significant advantages over traveling wave tube amplifiers in this frequency range.
Hittite Microwave Corp. introduced a new GaAs HEMT MMIC low noise amplifier die, the HMC-ALH508, which will allow designers to address E-band applications from 71 to 86 GHz. The HMC-ALH508 LNA die is ideal for automotive radar, military and space applications, wireless LANs, and ultra high capacity E-band communication systems. Hittite Microwave also introduced two new GaAs MMIC SMT low noise amplifier and driver amplifier products, which allow designers to address point-to-point microwave radio, military, space, VSAT, and test instrumentation applications from 14 to 40 GHz. And they introduced four new Digital Variable Gain Amplifiers which are ideal for automotive, broadband, cellular/3G, WiMAX/4G, test & measurement equipment and military applications between 70 MHz and 4 GHz.
A brand new microwave power module (MPM) was launched by TMD Technologies. The PTX8207 includes a "next generation" high power mini-TWT to provide a wider frequency range and higher power than previous models. The PTX8207 is specified to provide a mid-band power of 140 W and an operating frequency range of 4.5 to 18 GHz.
ASC announced Model ASC357C, the first of a new product line of wideband, high dynamic range amplifiers using the latest GaN HEMT devices. Their higher voltage and power density operation offer much lower parasitic capacitance and much higher dynamic resistance that provide wider bandwidth and higher output power.
HVVi Semiconductors announced the addition of the HVV1011-500 to its growing line-up of L-band devices. These devices are fabricated using the industry’s first High Voltage Vertical Field Effect Transistor (HVVFET™) architecture. HVV1011-500 is a 500 W (P1dB) single-ended device, and represents the highest power offering in its 1030 to 1090 MHz family. By utilizing this technology, HVVi can offer the most robust devices available for interrogator, transponder and TCAS applications.
Skyworks’ new ultra low noise amplifiers offer performance under 0.7 dB while providing high linearity amplification with OIP3 up to 35 dBm. The SKY65037-360LF, operating from 0.7 to 1.2 GHz, and SKY65040-360LF, operating from 1.5 to 2.4 GHz, have the flexibility of external tuning to set gain up to 25 dB and supply current adjustment of 30 to 100 mA. The devices serve high performance receiver applications for wireless infrastructure base stations, repeaters, or access points.
Power Module Technology (PMT) is featuring PP88-108-800, a high power Class AB Pallet Amplifier that provides 800 W CW power output in an extremely small footprint. Featuring the latest generation LDMOS transistors, the PP88-108-800 provides high power density of any FM pallet. Thermal tracking bias allows the PP88-108-800 to operate Class AB while providing 800 W CW with a typical efficiency of 80 percent.
Nitronex released the NPT1007 for applications up to 1.2 GHz. The NPT1007 comprises two power transistors, 100 W each, in an industry standard four lead Gemini package. This small footprint allows easy combining of both transistors into a compact high power amplifier solution. After combining losses, the device achieves 200 W at 63 percent efficiency with 18.3 dB gain at 900 MHz. The NPT1007 is robust to an output mismatch of 10:1 while in saturation.
Mimix Broadband Inc. introduces a QFN packaged GaAs MMIC linear power amplifier with 49 dBm OIP3 and 16.5 dB small-signal gain. This power amplifier, identified as XP1039-QJ, covers 5.5 to 7.5 GHz and includes an on-chip temperature compensated power detector. The amplifier comes in an RoHS compliant, industry standard, fully molded 6x6mm QFN package and includes on-chip ESD protection structures and DC bypass capacitors to ease implementation and volume assembly. The XP1039-QJ is well suited for highly linear communications applications such as point-to-point radio, LMDS, SATCOM and VSAT applications.
As more amplifier news comes in, we will try to add it.