MwT to aid Military Missions with Super Silent Hybrids
MicroWave Technology (MwT), a wholly owned subsidiary of IXYS Corporation, has introduced its latest range of Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) ; the MwT-LN240, MwT-LN300 and MwT-LN600.
Fabricated using a high reliability AlGaAs/InGaAs pHEMT (pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor) process, the devices have a nominal 0.15 micron gate length and gate widths of 240 um, 300 um, and 600 um, respectively.
The devices are claimed to be 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.
MwT claims that this new family of MwT LNAs is an ideal choice to replace low noise pHEMT devices from competitors including NEC, Eudyna/Sumitomo and Mitsubishi.
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 the 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 µm device with 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.
MwT say that the RF performances from these hybrid amplifiers have convincingly demonstrated the state-of-the-art noise performance as well its superior design capability for LNAs.
