Using gallium arsenide (GaAs) based 0.15µm pHEMT process with three layers of interconnecting metal on 50 µm substrate material, TriQuint Semiconductor has released two new satellite communications (Satcom) high power amplifiers (HPAs) that offer improved performance with overall size reduction. According to the developer, it has reduced the overall chip size by 35%, placing more functionality in a smaller area. The die-level products, TGA4916 and TGA4906, are TriQuint’s newest HPAs aimed at products that deliver satellite-based Internet service, data transfer and video uploads / downloads. Packaged versions will come later this year.

Unveiled at this week’s IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium in Honolulu, Hawaii, these high performance GaAs MMICs were developed as part of the company’s continuing program to drive the evolution of very small aperture terminal (VSAT) components for ground station RF systems.

According to TriQuint, its latest VSAT power amplifiers offer greater power added efficiency (PAE) compared to the previous generation. The TGA4916 is a Ka band (29 – 31 GHz), fully monolithic 7 W (38.5 dBm) HPA. PAE at Psat is given as >18% at 30 GHz. While small signal gain is 21 dB. And typical input/output return loss is >12 dB. Likewise, the TGA4906 is a half-chip version of the TGA4916 for the 28 – 31 GHz band with saturated output rated at 4 W (36 dBm). PAE at Psat is >20% at 30 GHz. It offers a small signal gain of 24 dB. Packaged versions of both devices are scheduled to be available in the second half of the year.