High power GaN-HEMT microwave switches for X-Band and wideband applications

In this article the design, fabrication and test of X-band and 2-18 GHz wideband high power SPDT MMIC switches in GaN technology are presented. Said switches have demonstrated state-of-the-art performance and RF fabrication yields better than 65%. In particular the X-band switch exhibits an on-state power handling capability of better than 37 dBm at the 1 dB insertion loss compression point and the wideband switch shows an insertion loss compression of 1 dB for input power higher than 34.3 dBm in the entire bandwidth.

[1]  Arnulf Leuther,et al.  Robust GaN HEMT Low-Noise Amplifier MMICsfor X-Band Applications , 2004 .

[2]  V. Kaper,et al.  Monolithic AlGaN/GaN HEMT SPDT switch , 2004 .

[3]  M. Schindler,et al.  DC-40 GHz and 20-40 GHz MMIC SPDT switches , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[4]  Y. Uemoto,et al.  A high power Tx/Rx switch IC using AlGaN/GaN HFETs , 2003, IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting 2003.