160W class Ka-Band SSPA for professional up-link stations using European 30W GaN packaged HPA

Competitiveness & Growth

Status

Ongoing
Activity Code

6B.131

Objectives

The main objectives of the project are:

Develop an HPA MMIC corresponding to User requirements (Output Power, Linearity performance, PAE at high frequency, Environmental conditions)
Identify the right HPA MMIC packaging solution for high frequency/ high power with suitable heat dissipation at a reasonable cost.
Develop a compact SSPA Cooling System able to dissipate very high-power densities.
Raise in maturity of an eight-way radial waveguide power combiner.
Develop an efficient SSPA power supply system.

Challenges

The main challenges on this project are:

Manage thermal dissipation at component level.
Manage cooling performance at system level.
Manufacturability of the 8-way radial power combiner.
Manage HPA performance.
Assemble the HPA die in the package.

Benefits

The solution developed in this project aims to manufacture a packaged MMIC at 30W Psat in order to reduce the number of HPAs inside an SSPA while currently, MMIC High Power Amplifier at 30W Psat in 27-31 GHz are bare dies and State of the art packaged HPAs are only designed up to 20W Psat.

At SSPA level, the solution developed in this project aims to manufacture an SSPA with 30 W European MMIC source using Gallium nitride (GaN) technology and to manufacture a power combiner, which allows progressive degradation in the event of an HPA failure.

The 30W HPA developed in the frame of this project aims to reduce the power combiner manufacturing complexity and reduces manufacturing costs. This architecture allows to have also an SSPA with reduced footprint and a reduced cooling system definition.

Features

The new product developed in the frame of this project offers the following features:

30W HPA: Increase of Psat up to 30W.
30W HPA: Change from die form to packaged form.
160W SSPA: Adding an air-cooling system.
160W SSPA: Rise in maturity of the power combiner.
160W SSPA: Adding a power supply system.
160W SSPA: Adding a management system with its software.
160W SSPA: Adding a phase management system.
160W SSPA: Integration of the whole SSPA in an outdoor box.

System Architecture

N/A

Plan

The project plan is focused on the development, manufacturing & tests of the unit following 3 phases:

Definition phase:

WP0: Ka band SSPA and 30W HPA requirements.

Technology phase

WP1.1: Thermal dissipation system study.
WP1.2: Raise in maturity of the power combiner.
WP1.3: SSPA other system study such as, power supply, phase adjustment, control system
WP1.4: SSPA integration.
WP2.1: Design and manufacturing of the MMIC HPA.
WP2.2: Package definition to encapsulate die.
WP2.3: Manufacturing of a 30W HPA in package and ageing tests.

Product phase: