20W Linearized Q-band Solid State Power Amplifier for Satellite Communication Application
- Resource Type
- Conference
- Authors
- Giofre, Rocco; Limiti, Ernesto; Massari, Antonino; Suriani, Andrea; Vitulli, Francesco
- Source
- 2020 50th European Microwave Conference (EuMC) Microwave Conference (EuMC), 2020 50th European. :776-779 Jan, 2021
- Subject
- Communication, Networking and Broadcast Technologies
Components, Circuits, Devices and Systems
Fields, Waves and Electromagnetics
Photonics and Electrooptics
Satellites
Power amplifiers
Europe
Throughput
Silicon
Satellite communication
Power generation
SSPA
satellite communications
Q-band
GaN on silicon technology
- Language
This paper presents the test results of the Solid State Power Amplifier (SSPA) for satellite communication application developed in Thales Alenia Space under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) operating in the frequency range from 37.5 to 42.5 GHz. The SSPA delivering more than 20W in saturation is equipped with a linearizer that allows to achieve a Noise to Power Ratio (NPR) better 16dBc at 3dB of Output Back-off (OBO). The use of SSPA on modern High Throughput Satellites (HTS) is a low cost alternative to Q-band TWTA, considering that the cost saving is more than three times by using solid state technology. The 20W output power has been achieved by combining in waveguide 8 4W power amplifier MMIC’s (D01GH-GaN on silicon) by OMMIC foundry. A 2W MMIC driver amplifier has been also specifically design and fabricated with the same process. At the knowledge of the authors this is the first SSPA in Q-band of such class realized in Europe for space applications.