Dual-Transistor GaN-on-SiC Amplifier Lowers Telecom Infrastructure Costs

Qorvo® today introduced a new asymmetric Doherty amplifier that enables customers to achieve ultra-high levels of power efficiency in the design of wireless base station equipment. The next-generation gallium nitride on silicon carbide (GaN-on-SiC) solution features two transistors in a single package to maximize linearity, efficiency and gain, and ultimately reduce operating costs.

Roger Hall, Qorvo's general manager, High Performance Solutions, said, "Today's telecommunications infrastructure design is all about achieving power efficiencies that reduce costs. Our customers tell us that the new GaN-on-SiC QPD2731 transistor achieves these goals as operators bring more capabilities online."

Customers are increasingly moving to GaN-on-SiC in order to realize significant improvements in performance, linearity and efficiency for wireless base stations compared to LDMOS and GaN-on-Si, which have poor thermal characteristics.

The QPD2731 addresses this shift with pre-matched, discrete GaN-on-SiC High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs). The new amplifier, currently available for sampling, provides the highest performance available in its operating range of 2.5 to 2.7 GHz.

The QPD2731 can be linearized by standard, commercially available, third-party DPD systems, as previously announced by Qorvo.