High power microwave device temperature measurement - Methodology and applications for pulsed devices

Pulsed high power microwave devices are critical to the transmitter in applications such as modern RADAR and MRI. Large peak RF powers (~250 W) are needed at high pulse rates (~10 KHz). Thermal management is critical to ensure device performance and reliability. Infrared microscopy measurement method is refined by synchronizing temperature detection with pulsed power stimuli to the device, thus true peak device temperatures are measured. Methodology is presented with data for two Si LDMOS microwave power devices (250 W, 1 GHz and 120 W, 3.5 GHz).