GaN MMIC Power Divider for Ultra-Wideband Amplifier Architecture
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Solution Overview
Problem
High power amplifier systems face challenges in increasing output power levels while reducing device size, weight, and power (SWaP), with existing technologies hindered by high circuit losses in wideband matching networks and band-limited antennas.
Innovation Solution
The use of a power divider to split an input signal into sub-bands, each amplified by gallium-nitride (GaN) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), allowing for ultra-wideband, multi-channel amplification with control circuits to manage temperature and power levels, eliminating the need for physical microwave switches and reducing DC power requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional wideband matching networks are used to achieve ultra-wideband amplification, then bandwidth coverage is improved, but circuit losses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The ultra-wideband signal is divided into multiple sub-bands using a power divider, with each sub-band amplified by a dedicated GaN MMIC amplifier. This segmentation allows each amplifier to operate efficiently in its specific frequency range while collectively covering the entire ultra-wideband spectrum, avoiding the high losses of conventional wideband matching networks.
2Weight of stationary object
If device scaling is continued to reduce size, then SWaP is improved, but output power levels decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple GaN MMIC amplifiers operating in parallel on different sub-bands are combined through a power combiner to achieve high output power across the entire ultra-wideband range. This merging approach maintains compact size while delivering high power levels that would be difficult to achieve with a single scaled-down amplifier.
3Ease of manufacture
If band-limited antennas are used for ultra-wideband transmission, then antenna design is simplified, but frequency bandwidth performance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The bandwidth limitation of individual antennas is overcome by dividing the ultra-wideband signal into multiple sub-bands, with each sub-band transmitted through a dedicated band-limited antenna. The power divider routes appropriate sub-bands to each antenna, allowing the use of simpler band-limited antenna designs while achieving overall ultra-wideband performance through the combined output of multiple antennas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables high RF power with ultra-wideband instantaneous frequency bandwidth performance in a small-form-factor package, exceeding the capabilities of existing amplifier architectures, and reduces complications related to band-limited antennas.
Implementation Method 1
a power divider configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) input signal; a first chipset operatively coupled with the power divider and configured to amplify a first sub-band of the input signal
Implementation Method 2
at least one of the first pre-driver, the first driver, the first high power amplifier, the second pre-driver, the second driver, and/or the second high power amplifier comprises a gallium-nitride (GaN)-based monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC)
Implementation Method 3
a temperature sensing circuit configured to detect a temperature change and to shift a voltage supplied to at least one of the first chipset and/or the second chipset based on the detected temperature change
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques and architecture are disclosed for providing an ultra-wideband, multi-channel solid-state power amplifier architecture. In some embodiments, the architecture includes a power divider which splits an input signal and delivers that split signal to a plurality of downstream channel chipsets. Each channel chipset is configured to amplify a sub-band of the original full-band input signal and to provide the resultant amplified sub-band for downstream use, such as for transmission by an antenna operatively coupled with that channel. In the aggregate, the amplified sub-bands provide coverage of the same ultra-wideband frequency range of the original input signal, in some cases. In some embodiments, the architecture provides high radio frequency (RF) power with good amplifying efficiency and ultra-wide instantaneous frequency bandwidth performance in a small-form-factor package. In some instances, control circuitry is provided to control which chipset die(s) are enabled/disabled, thus providing control over gain and power levels of the output signal(s).