In this work, we present an overview of WIN’s latest generation of 0.15-mm GaAs pHEMT technology specifically optimized for highly linear PAs for advanced mm-wave communication systems. When compared with the prior technology PP15-51 at either 5.8 or 29 GHz, the new technology PP15-61 outperforms the prior one in multiple respects, including enhanced P_out, an additional linear gain of > 1 dB, a 10 percentage point increase in peak PAE (from ≈ 44% to ≈ 54% at 29 GHz), and, most notably, an improvement of ≈ 3 dB in OIP3 when operated in the linear regions at 29 GHz. As part of routine characterization, the IMD3 asymmetry was further compared for both technologies. Its behavior can be descriptively interpreted in terms of a physical scenario considering effects due to charge trapping, thermal properties, and the bias networks used in the measurements.

Abstract