Irish high-frequency semiconductor chip company Arralis has recently launched a new Leonis series gallium nitride-silicon carbide high power amplifier product, which can be used for satellite communication (SATCOM) downlink system upgrades. Application areas include 5G communications, high-speed wireless networks in the air, giant constellation communications in low-Earth orbit, drone constellations and satellite-drone-ground data networks, satellite-to-vehicle interconnection, connected vehicles, last-mile and remote Internet solutions, Internet of things and machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, etc.
The amplifier chip has a size of 3.6 mm x 2.9 mm, operates in the K-band from 17.5 GHz to 20 GHz, and can provide at least 10 watts of saturated power, with a typical power increase efficiency of 25% and a signal gain of up to 20 dB. The matching impedance of the amplifier's gallium nitride-silicon carbide device and the RF port's integrated DC isolation capacitor is 50 ohms. In addition, it also includes an output power detector to assist system integration. The drain bias under normal conditions is 25 volts.
The amplifier is manufactured using the aerospace-grade 0.25-micron GH25-10 gallium nitride-silicon carbide process of the French company UMS, and is an "ITAR-free" type (ITAR is an acronym for the International Arms Trade Regulations) product. Compared with equivalent gallium arsenide devices, gallium nitride devices have higher efficiency, power density, and thermal conductivity, and can adapt to higher operating temperatures without sacrificing system reliability. This product integrates the device manufacturing process of French UMS company, the National Instruments (NI) AWR electronic design automation software and the Irish Arralis company specializing in the design of a satellite communications monolithic microwave integrated circuit technology team in one, reaching the best in the K-band Work performance.
In recent years, the market's demand for low-cost K / Ka-band satellite equipment has been increasing, and it is required to be able to conveniently connect with current digital Internet hardware interfaces. Arralis' Leonis series chipset is designed and developed to meet these needs.