Diamond Microwave launches compact high power GaN SSPAs

LEEDS, UK: 25 July 2013 — Diamond Microwave, a specialist in high performance microwave power amplifiers, has announced the launch of ultra-compact high power solid state power amplifiers in X-Band and Ku-Band, which are ideal for use in demanding defence, aerospace and communications applications.

These solid-state power amplifiers are based on GaN devices, and offer state-of-the-art pulsed power performance coupled with a power-to-volume ratio that the company believes to be among the highest in the industry for such products. Pulsed power output levels of up to 150W have been achieved. The designs are flexible in layout and architecture, and are fully customisable to meet individual specifications for electrical, mechanical and environmental parameters. Amplifiers with pulsed power outputs in excess of 1kW, and with multi-octave bandwidths, are also under development.

An example of a Ku-band amplifier was displayed on Diamond Microwave’s booth at the International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2013), having a peak pulsed output power of 125W at 16.5GHz and a 1dB bandwidth of 1.5GHz in a space outline that is similar in size to a smartphone.

“Our amplifiers are really pushing boundaries with their compact size and high output powers,” said Richard Lang, managing director at Diamond Microwave. “We showed the amplifiers earlier last month at IMS2013 in Seattle, where we saw a substantial level of interest, and a number of visitors described these amplifiers as ‘unique’.”

NOTE: ‘Diamond Microwave’ and the diamond logo are trademarks of Diamond Microwave Devices Limited.