问:Orvo的新增强型MMWAVE SpaTium®放大器在紧凑的信封中提供无与伦比的组合效率和带宽,用于高性能应用,如卫星地面站,5G基础设施,雷达和电子战。Qorvo使用其最新的GaN MMICS开发了两种Mmwave山水产品,均在批量生产中:

  • 问:PB2731, which provides 100 W output power from 27 to 31 GHz.
  • QPB3238提供从32到38 GHz的100 W输出功率。

These solid-state power amplifiers (SSPA) handle continuous wave (CW), pulsed and modulated RF waveforms, with two biasing options to best suit the application.

类似于先前的售货膨胀技术,MMWave Spatium采用基于层压的天线结构,在准横向电磁(TEM)同轴环境中在空间地组合16个元件。从理论上讲,这导致SSPA具有比来自每个MMIC的功率更多的功率12dB。

图1

图1Cross-section of the mmWave Spatium SSPA.

在构建放大器之前,Qorvo设计了一种被动结构,以评估组合网络的性能 - 构造成复制放大器的RF路径而没有MMIC。在输入时,RF信号通过2.92mm的母连接器进入,然后将过大的同轴区域物理地扩展到层压板,端射天线阵列,将RF分成16个相等的信号,每个连接RF分成16个相等的信号,每个连接RF将RF分成16个相等的信号,每个连接射频将RF分成16个相等的信号,每个连接射频将RF分成16个相等的信号。输入mmic(见图1). In the passive structure, though, the microstrip line connects to another laminate antenna array that reverses the transitions at the input. In most cases, the output of a high-power amplifier (HPA) requires an output connection with suitable power-handling capability, such as WR28 waveguide. With this passive test structure, a 2.92 mm female connector was used at the output to make a broadband connection with a standard network analyzer.

将每个层压材料粘合到镀银铜叶片上,当沿着主轴观察时形成1/16楔形物。选择AGC Taconic TLY-5Z作为核心层压材料,因为它表现出低介电常数(εR.=2.2) and relatively low loss tangent (tanδ=0.0015在10 GHz),这有助于天线结构的宽带,低损耗性能。虽然被动层压板上的金属化被IPC兼容的浸渍银覆盖以防止铜的氧化,但是放大器设计通常使用金金属化与MMIC的金线键合附件兼容。

图2.

图2.模拟与电动组件的测量插入损耗(A)和返回损耗(B)。

图3.

图3.Typical output power and PAE of the QPA2211 (a) and TGA2222 (b).

使用ANSYS HFSS设计和分析被动结构。与测量的无源结构组件相比,模拟插入损耗和回波损耗图2.。虽然看到测量(红线)和模拟(蓝线)之间的小偏差,但总体上存在良好的相关性,并且观察到的性能对于放大器开发是可以接受的。测量的插入损耗反映了整个RF路径的损耗,即输入和输出。在SSPA中,MMIC朝向输出放置,因此大于50%的微带线在MMIC之前。因此,对输出插入损耗的合理估计为0.67dB,从而产生86%的组合效率。

For the QPB2731 design, Qorvo’s QPA2211 GaN MMIC was selected as the HPA. The QPA2211 is specified to provide 14 W saturated and 5 W linear CW output power, with 34 percent power-added efficiency (PAE) in CW operation (see图3.). For the QPB3238N design, the TGA2222 GaN MMIC was selected as the RF HPA; it has a specified CW output power of 40.2 dBm saturated with 22.3 percent PAE from 32 to 38 GHz and a die backside temperature of 25°C(也如图3所示)。两种设备都使用Qorvo的0.15µm GaN on SiC process (QGaN15).

图4.

图4.测量QPB2731(A)和QPB3238(B)在25°C钳温度下的输出功率和漏极效率。

图5.

图5.MMWave Spatium提供外部(a)和集成(b)偏置配置。

图4.shows the output power and drain efficiency measurements of the QPB2731 and QPB3238 SSPAs at a “clamp” temperature of 25°C.注意模具和SSPA数据之间的不同热参考点。以CW信号在饱和功率下操作,自加热可以将模具的背面温度提高50°C以上SSPA的夹持温度。因此,图3和4不显示“苹果到苹果”比较;尽管如此,图示出MMWAVE SpaTium平台对各个MMIC的功率良好地执行良好。

For ease of system integration, Qorvo offers two bias options for the mmWave Spatium products. The first has a separate bias card, operating remotely from the SSPA, containing a microcontroller to fully customize the amplifier for its operating environment (see图5.a). The second option is more integrated, achieving a more compact physical profile (see图5.b). Both solutions provide the required sequencing and gate voltage control for the GaN MMICs, so the user can power the SSPA by simply applying the prime voltage at the power connector.

Qorvo., Inc.
加利福尼亚州纽伯里公园。
www.qorvo.com/products/amplifiers/spatium.