Oki targets GaN HEMTs for base stations
Japanese telecommunications firm Oki Electric is making available its GaN-based HEMTs for wireless base station applications.
The company claims that the devices, which are suitable for 3G mobile phone and wireless metropolitan area network base stations, are smaller and consume less power than today's transistors.
According to Oki the GaN-based devices deliver output powers ten times greater than their GaAs-based counterparts, allowing circuit-designers to slash component numbers in the amplifier stage.
The transistors could also save energy. Since GaN devices operate at a relatively high voltage, current loss in the base stations' power cables is reduced.
With dimensions of 15 x 5.4 x 3.1 mm, Oki's GaN HEMTs have an output power density of 7.8 W/mm, and a maximum output power of 50.2 W.
"We will work on reducing the size, lowering the cost and achieving higher output by bringing in customer needs and work on commercializing products," said Oki's CTO, Harushige Sugimoto.
The company expects sample shipments to begin in early 2006, followed by volume production later that year. Oki says it is aiming for a 30 percent share of the global GaN high-frequency power device market by 2008.
