This GaN linear power amplifier with small signal gain, serving as both a driver and the final power amplification stage in satellite communication systems.
CML Micro has launched a Ka-band gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier for commercial high-volume satellite communication terminals. The CMX90A705 is a packaged two-stage GaN linear power amplifier with a small signal gain. It serves as a driver and the final power amplification stage in satellite communication terminals.
The key features are:
- Power Output: +37.4 dBm (5.5 W) of saturated power
- Frequency Range:27.5 to 31 GHz
- Signal Gain: 16.5 dB of small signal gain
The power amplifier is designed for ease of integration, with RF input and output ports nominally matched to 50 Ω and integrated DC blocking capacitors. It also includes drain and gate feed decoupling capacitors suitable for QPSK type modulation, incorporated into the evaluation board. The active device is fabricated using a 0.15 µm gate length GaN-on-silicon carbide (SiC) process and presented in a 4x4mm thermally enhanced air-cavity Quad Flat No-Lead (QFN) package. This commercial-grade part is fully tested with 50 Ω ports to ensure minimal design effort and fast time to market
It targets applications such as commercial high-volume Ka-band satcom terminals, block up-converters (BUC), VSAT, and SSPAs. It comes with a detailed data sheet, and CML Micro offers full support through its sales and applications teams. The product is available through global distribution partners, including DigiKey, Mouser, and RFMW. The launch marks an important step into the satcom mmWave market with a high-power GaN-based device. Currently, they are at 5.5 W at Ka-band, but customers might want to increase power to 10 W or 20 W by combining multiple devices on a board. The company is always looking forward and anticipating customer needs.
“The CMX90A705 offers a compact, flexible design suited for high-volume communication terminals, providing access to global satellite networks,” says Arwyn Roberts, RF Product Manager at CML Micro. “The GaN die has been optimized for size, making it a cost-effective solution. It acts as a low-cost building block that can be cascaded to increase the transmit line-up gain or combined in parallel for higher output powers.”
