Wolfspeed extends 50V GaN HEMT family to high-efficiency 3.0GHz 250W

Wolfspeed of Raleigh, NC, USA — a Cree Company that makes silicon carbide (SiC) power products and GaN-on-SiC high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) — has extended its family of 50V unmatched GaN HEMT RF power devices by adding the 250W CGHV40200PP, which has with a frequency range up to 3.0GHz, 21dB small-signal gain at 1.8GHz, and what is claimed to be the highest efficiency of any comparably rated GaN device available (67% at PSAT). This enables RF design engineers to use fewer components to design smaller and lighter linear amplifier circuits for commercial and military wireless communications and S-band radar applications.

The new 50V GaN HEMT devices provide a combination of high power and high gain with high-efficiency operation, making it possible for RF design engineers to replace several lower-power GaN HEMTs or multiple silicon LDMOS devices with a single device in their power amplifier designs. Packaged in a four-leaded metal-flanged ceramic Gemini package, the new 250W GaN HEMTs operate efficiently at full rated power, reducing the need for complex thermal management systems.

Their higher power and efficiency rating, combined with a frequency range up to 3.0GHz, makes these devices suitable for a wide range of RF linear and compressed amplifier circuits, including those for military communications systems, radar equipment (UHF, L-, S-band), electronic warfare (EW) systems, as well as RF applications in the industrial, medical & scientific (ISM) band.

“The addition of these new 250W GaN HEMT devices to our 50V product line enables Wolfspeed to deliver new levels of power and efficiency,” says RF and microwave director Jim Milligan. “Now, RF engineers can simplify their power amplifier designs by replacing multiple power devices with a single part, reducing their component count and making their amplifiers smaller and lighter.”

Wolfspeed says that, compared with conventional silicon (Si) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) devices, its GaN-on-SiC RF devices deliver higher breakdown voltage, higher temperature operation, higher efficiency, higher thermal conductivity, higher power density, and wider bandwidths (all critical for achieving smaller, lighter and more efficient microwave and RF products). The GaN-on-SiC RF devices enable next-generation broadband, public safety and ISM amplifiers; broadcast, satellite and tactical communications amplifiers; UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) data links; test instrumentation; and two-way private radios.

The CGHV40200PP GaN HEMTs are now in volume production and are available immediately from Wolfspeed distributors Digi-Key and Mouser. Wolfspeed’s RF devices are supported by proprietary large-signal models, available at https://portal.cree.com.