Cree samples SiC transistors for power amplifiers
Cree says that it is shipping sample quantities of a 10W packaged SiC MESFET.
The component is designed for power amplifier applications in broadband wireless access such as WiMAX connectivity. The wide-bandgap properties of SiC are said to permit twice the normal operating voltage and a four-fold increase in bandwidth compared with either GaAs-based or silicon technologies.
Cree is aiming to ship the product, which produces 1.5 W average output power and operates at 17% drain efficiency, in volume later this year.
According to Jim Milligan, the company's wide-bandgap RF product manager, the SiC transistor is a better solution for broadband wireless access because it combines high-temperature operation with high efficiency without compromising device reliability.
Cree announced the development at the International Microwave Symposium taking place this week in Long Beach, CA, where compound-semiconductor-based chips for WiMAX and other broadband wireless protocols are proving to be a strong theme.
The Durham, NC, company said recently that it would concentrate on wide-bandgap technologies for RF applications after closing its Sunnyvale-based silicon RF and microwave fab by the end of this year (see related story).
