GaN Integrated Circuit Power Amplifiers: Developments and Prospects

GaN integrated circuit technologies have dramatically progressed over the recent years. The prominent feature of high-electron mobility transistors (HEMTs), unparalleled output power densities, has created a paradigm shift in established and emerging high-power applications. In this article, we present review on developments prospects amplifiers (PAs). progress including improvements their important features, i.e., supply voltage, substrate material, transistor scaling approach, device modeling are elaborated current state-of-the-art processes with 20-nm gate length, 450 GHz cut-off frequency, 600 V voltage discussed. We also investigate PA architectures implementation challenges reactive matching PAs capable delivering 100 W operating up to 200 GHz, linearity, back-off efficiency enhancement, reconfigurable PAs, distributed architectures. Finally, discuss technology possible future improvements, levels, which can advance performance functionality circuits.