IXYS intros super low noise pHEMT devices for microwave apps up to 38 GHz

FREMONT, USA: MicroWave Technology Inc. (MwT), a wholly owned subsidiary of IXYS Corp., has introduced a family of three AlGaAs/InGaAs based low noise pHEMT devices with extremely low noise figures with operational frequency up to 38 GHz.

These low noise devices are MwT-LN240, MwT-LN300 and MwT-LN600. The super low noise devices are fabricated using high reliability AlGaAs/InGaAs pHEMT (pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor) process with a nominal 0.15 micron gate length and gate widths of 240 um, 300 um, and 600 um, respectively. These devices are equally effective for wideband (e.g. 6-18 GHz or 18-26 GHz) and narrow band applications up to 38 GHz.

With minimum noise figure as low as 0.5 dB at 12 GHz with 2.5V drain bias, these low noise devices are ideally suited for commercial wireless and military applications requiring very low noise figure and high associated gain. These devices are targeted at wide range applications including broadband military EW and defense communications, wireless communication infrastructures, point-to-point microwave radios, space/high rel, instrumentation and medical equipment.

This new family of MwT low noise device is an ideal choice to replace low noise pHEMT devices from NEC, Eudyna/Sumitomo, Mitsubishi, etc. The wafer can be screened to meet high quality and reliability requirements for military and space applications. These devices are also available in surface mount packages such as MwT-71 package.

The complete noise models such as “gamma opt” and noise parameters over frequency range are available for these devices to aid circuit design simulations. An application note on active bias circuitry for setting and stabilizing the gate bias is also available.

As an application support vehicle, MwT has developed 11 to 13 GHz hybrid modules using an MwT-LN240 (a 240 micrometer device) with a noise figure as low as 0.7 dB. A 6 to 18 GHz balanced amplifier module using a pair of MwT-LN240 devices has achieved noise figure between 1.5 and 1.7 dB across the band.

The exceptionally good RF performances from these hybrid amplifiers have convincingly demonstrated the state-of-the-art noise performance for the MwT-LN series low noise devices, as well as the superior design capability for low noise amplifiers at MwT.