Plextek, a Cambridge-based electronics and communications design consultancy, has completed the design of 2 W and 4 W X-band power amplifier (PA) MMICs for a UK electronics component supplier. Both MMICs cover the entire X-band (8 to 12 GHz) and are available as bare die, packaged components or connectorised modules for use in applications such as point-to-point and point-to-multi-point radios and radars. A significant advantage of the PAs is that they will not be subject to ITAR restrictions as fabrication, design and supply is all undertaken by non-US companies.

The X-band PAs are 50 ohms matched and require no external components. An on-chip active biasing network allows the use of a fixed gate bias potential and helps compensate for performance variation with temperature and process spread. The amplifiers are fabricated on a robust 0.5 μm gate length power PHEMT process that is well suited to high volume production.

Liam Devlin, director, RF Integration at Plextek, comments: “Plextek has offered MMIC design services to its clients for over 10 years and carried out the design of over 30 MMICs. We’re incredibly proud of these new X-band solutions and are already in discussions with the same client about future MMIC developments including broadband (6 to 18 GHz) digitally controlled phase-shifters, digitally controlled attenuators and power amplifiers.”

Plextek will be promoting its innovative MMIC solutions and expertise in Booth 2016.