RF power transistor can handle very high VSWR mismatches

By Majeed Ahmad, contributing writer

Ampleon  has unveiled the first family of RF power devices that are based on its Advanced Rugged Technology (ART) derivative of the ninth-generation high-voltage laterally diffused metal-oxide semiconductor (LDMOS) process technology. The ART2K0FE, the first product in this family, is a 2-KW transistor with a frequency response of 0 to 650 MHz.

Available in an air-cavity ceramic package, the ART2K0FE is designed to withstand the harshest conditions in industrial, scientific, and medical applications. The ART devices can handle very high voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) mismatches of 65:1 at 65 V, and that makes them suitable for use in high-power CO₂  lasers, plasma generators, and some MRI systems.

It’s easier to integrate these ART process-based devices into products during the development phase due to their high impedance. The ART process also enables these RF power devices to offer greater efficiency than competing LDMOS offerings and allows the devices to have greater power density, translating into smaller and lower-cost packages.

Moreover, the ART devices offer a high breakdown voltage, which ensures that they will work consistently and reliably throughout their expected lifespan. And the fact that Ampleon is guaranteeing device availability for 15 years allows product designers to plan for the long term.

The ART2K0FE and its over-molded plastic version with a lower thermal resistance, the ART2K0PE, are expected to go into production in the second half of 2019. Samples are available for the ART2K0FE in an air cavity ceramic package, with reference circuits available at different frequencies.