This article compares the performance of two different GaN transistor technologies, GaN HEMT on silicon substrate (PA1) and GaN on SiC (PA2), utilized in two broadband power amplifiers operating at 0.7 to 1.8 GHz. The study explores the broadband power amplifier potential of both GaN HEMT technologies for phased-array radar (PAR) and electronic warfare (EW) systems. The measured maximum output power for PA1 is 42.5 dBm (18 W) with a maximum PAE of 66 percent and a gain of 19.5 dB. The measured maximum output power for PA2 is 40 dBm with a PAE of 37 percent and a power gain slightly above 10 dB. The high power gain, ME, wider bandwidth and unconditional stability was obtained without feedback for the amplifier based on GaN HEMT technology, fabricated on Si substrate.

SiC MESFETs and GaN HEMTs posses an enormous potential in power amplifiers at microwave frequencies due to their wide bandgap features of high electric field strength, high electron saturation velocity and high operating temperature. The high power density combined with the comparably high impedance attainable by these devices also offers new possibilities for wideband power microwave systems. Similarly Si-LDMOS being low cost and lonely silicon based RF power transistor has great contributions especially in the communication sector.

The focus of this thesis work is both device study and their application in different classes of power amplifiers. In the first part of our research work, we studied the performance of transistors in device simulation using physical transistor structure in Technology Computer Aided Design (TCAD). A comparison between the physical simulations and measured device characteristics has been carried out.  We optimized GaN HEMT, Si-LDMOS and enhanced version of our previously fabricated and tested SiC MESFET transistor for enhanced RF and DC characteristics. For large signal AC performance we further extended the computational load pull (CLP) simulation technique to study the switching response of the power transistors. The beauty of our techniques is that, we need no lumped or distributive matching networks to study active device behavior in almost all major classes of power amplifiers. Using these techniques, we studied class A, AB, pulse input class-C and class-F switching response of SiC MESFET. We obtained maximum PAE of 78.3 % with power density of 2.5 W/mm for class C and 84 % for class F power amplifier at 500 MHz. The Si-LDMOS has a vital role and is a strong competitor to wideband gap semiconductor technology in communication sector. We also studied Si-LDMOS (transistor structure provided by Infineon Technologies at Kista, Stockholm) for improved DC and RF performance. The interface charges between the oxide and RESURF region are used not only to improve DC drain current and RF power, gain & efficiency but also enhance its operating frequency up to 4 GHz.

In the second part of our research work, six single stage (using single transistor) power amplifiers have been designed, fabricated and characterized in three phases for applications in communications, Phased Array Radars and EW systems. In the first phase, two class AB power amplifiers are designed and fabricated. The first PA (26 W) is designed and fabricated at 200-500 MHz using SiC MESFET. Typical results for this PA at 60 V drain bias at 500 MHz are, 24.9 dB of power gain, 44.15 dBm output power (26 W) and 66 % PAE. The second PA is designed at 30-100 MHz using SiC MESFET. At 60 V drain bias P_max is 46.7 dBm (~47 W) with a power gain of 21 dB.

In the second phase, for performance comparison, three broadband class AB power amplifiers are designed and fabricated at 0.7-1.8 GHz using SiC MESFET and two different GaN HEMT technologies (GaN HEMT on SiC and GaN HEMT on Silicon substrate). The measured maximum output power for the SiC MESFET amplifier at a drain bias of V_d= 66 V at 700 MHz the P_max was 42.2 dBm (~16.6 W) with a PAE of 34.4 %. The results for GaN HEMT on SiC amplifier are; maximum output power at V_d = 48 V is 40 dBm (~10 W), with a PAE of 34 % and a power gain above 10 dB. The maximum output power for GaN HEMT on Si amplifier is 42.5 dBm (~18 W) with a maximum PAE of 39 % and a gain of 19.5 dB.

In the third phase, a high power single stage class E power amplifier is implemented with lumped elements at 0.89-1.02 GHz using Silicon GaN HEMT as an active device. The maximum drain efficiency (DE) and PAE of 67 and 65 % respectively is obtained with a maximum output power of 42.2 dBm (~ 17 W) and a maximum power gain of 15 dB.

This paper describes the design, fabrication and measurement of two single-stage class-AB power amplifiers covering the frequency band from 0.7-1.8 GHz using a SiC MESFET and a GaN HEMT. The measured maximum output power for the SiC amplifier at V_d = 48 V was 41.3 dBm (~13.7 W), with a PAE of 32% and a power gain above 10 dB. At a drain bias of V_d= 66 V at 700 MHz the P_max was 42.2 dBm (~16.6 W) with a PAE of 34.4%. The measured results for GaN amplifier are; maximum output power at V_d = 48 V is 40 dBm (~10 W), with a PAE of 34% and a power gain above 10 dB. The results for SiC amplifier are better than for GaN amplifier for the same 10-W transistor.

Matchingnetwork is major issue in broadband power amplifiers due tothe fact that the transistor impedances are varying both withfrequency and signal level. Thus it is difficult to matchthese impedances both at the input and output stages. Thetunable matching networks are very demanding and desired for buildingflexible systems, but their accuracy depends on the transistor performanceunder the large signal operation. Computational load pull (CLP) simulationtechnique is a unique way to extract the impedances ofpower transistor at desired frequencies which make the design ofmatching network much easier for multiple bands power amplifiers. AnLDMOS transistor is studied and its optimum impedances are extractedat 1, 2 and 2.5 GHz. Through optimum impedance, thetunable matching networks can be easily design for broadband amplifiers.

Si-LDMOS transistor is studied by TCAD simulation for improved RF performance. In LDMOS structure, a low-doped reduced surface field (RESURF) region is used to obtain high breakdown voltage, but it reduces the transistor RF performance due to high on-resistance. The interface charges between oxide and the RESURF region are studied and found to have a strong impact on the transistor performance both in DC and RF. The presence of excess interface state charges at the RESURF region results not only higher DC drain current but also improved RF performance in terms of power, gain and efficiency. The most important achievement is the enhancement of operating frequency and RF output power is obtained well above 1 W/mm up to 4 GHz.

The performance of SiC microwave power transistors is studied in fabricated class-AB power amplifiers and class-C switching power amplifier using physical structure of an enhanced version of previously fabricated and tested SiC MESFET. The results for pulse input in class-C at 1 GHz are; efficiency of 71.4 %, power density of 1.0 W/mm. The switching loss was 0.424 W/mm. The results for two class-AB power amplifiers are; the 30-100 MHz amplifier showed 45.6 dBm (∼ 36 W) output powers at P_1dB, at 50 MHz. The power added efficiency (PAE) is 48 % together with 21 dB of power gain. The maximum output power at P_1dB at 60 V drain bias and Vg= -8.5 V was 46.7 dBm (∼47 W). The typical results obtained in 200-500 MHz amplifier are; at 60 V drain bias the P_1dB is 43.85 dBm (24 W) except at 300 MHz where only 41.8 dBm was obtained. The maximum out put power was 44.15 dBm (26 W) at 500 MHz corresponding to a power density of 5.2 W/mm. The PAE @ P_1dB [%] at 500 MHz is 66 %.

The switching behavior of a previously fabricated and tested SiC transistor is studied in Class-C amplifier in TCAD simulation. The transistor is simulated for pulse input signals in Class-C power amplifier. The simulated gain (dB), power density (W/mm) and power added efficiency (PAE%) at 500 MHz, 1, 2 and 3 GHz was studied using computational TCAD load pull simulation technique. A Maximum PAE of 77.8% at 500 MHz with 45.4 dB power gain and power density of 2.43 W/mm is achieved. This technique allows the prediction of switching response of the device for switching amplifier Classes (Class-C–F) before undertaking an expensive and time consuming device fabrication. The beauty of this technique is that, we need no matching and other lumped element networks for studying the large signal behavior of RF and microwave transistors.

SiC MESFETs and GaN HEMTs have an enormous potential in high-power amplifiers at microwave frequencies due to their wide bandgap features of high electric breakdown field strength, high electron saturation velocity and high operating temperature. The high power density combined with the comparably high impedance attainable by these devices also offers new possibilities for wideband power microwave systems. In this thesis, Class C switching response of SiC MESFET in TCAD and two different generations of broadband power amplifiers have been designed, fabricated and characterized. Input and output matching networks and shunt feedback topology based on microstrip and lumped components have been designed, to increase the bandwidth and to improve the stability. The first amplifier is a single stage 26-watt using a SiC MESFET covering the frequency from 200-500 MHz is designed and fabricated. Typical results at 50 V drain bias for the whole band are, 22 dB power gain, 43 dBm output power, minimum power added efficiency at P 1dB is 47 % at 200 MHz and maximum 60 % at 500 MHz and the IMD3 level at 10 dB back-off from P 1dB is below ‑45 dBc. The results at 60 V drain bias at 500 MHz are, 24.9 dB power gain, 44.15 dBm output power (26 W) and 66 % PAE.

In the second phase, two power amplifiers at 0.7-1.8 GHz without feed back for SiC MESFET and with feedback for GaN HEMT are designed and fabricated (both these transistors were of 10 W). The measured maximum output power for the SiC amplifier at Vd = 48 V was 41.3 dBm (~13.7 W), with a PAE of 32 % and a power gain above 10 dB. At a drain bias of Vd= 66 V at 700 MHz the Pmax was 42.2 dBm (~16.6 W) with a PAE of 34.4 %. The measured results for GaN amplifier are; maximum output power at Vd = 48 V is 40 dBm (~10 W), with a PAE of 34 % and a power gain above 10 dB. The SiC amplifier gives better results than for GaN amplifier for the same 10 W transistor.

A comparison between the physical simulations and measured device characteristics has also been carried out. A novel and efficient way to extend the physical simulations to large signal high frequency domain was developed in our group, is further extended to study the class-C switching response of the devices. By the extended technique the switching losses, power density and PAE in the dynamics of the SiC MESFET transistor at four different frequencies of 500 MHz, 1, 2 and 3 GHz during large signal operation and the source of switching losses in the device structure was investigated. The results obtained at 500 MHz are, PAE of 78.3%, a power density of 2.5 W/mm with a switching loss of 0.69 W/mm. Typical results at 3 GHz are, PAE of 53.4 %, a power density of 1.7 W/mm with a switching loss of 1.52 W/mm.