Durham, NC — Cree, Inc is sampling two gallium nitride (GaN) HEMT transistors for use in WiMAX applications covering the 4.9 to 5.8-GHz frequency band. The transistors, CGH55015F and CGH55030F, claim to be the first released GaN HEMT WiMAX products specified to operate at up to 5.8 GHz.
Significant potential benefits offered by the 15 W and 30 W
devices include:
— a four-fold increase in efficiency compared with similar power level GaAs MESFET devices;
— elevated frequency operation compared with commercially available silicon LDMOS;
— operational capability in the license-exempt 5.8 GHz ISM (industrial, scientific and medical) band as well as 5.3 GHz and 5.47 GHz U-NII (Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure) bands; and
— superior linearity of better than 2.5 percent EVM at average power under a WiMAX signal at 25 percent drain efficiency covering an instantaneous bandwidth of 5.5 to 5.8 GHz.
Both transistors are available with "reference design" amplifier platforms.
As business and residential customers continue to demand increased capacity and functionality for wireless networks, these transistors can enable efficient power amplifiers in small base-station formats (access points) for last mile service utilizing WiMAX-based architectures. Such outdoor units can allow Internet service providers to maximize their ROI on spectrum due to the ability to offer tiered services (enabled by improved quality of service and wider channel bandwidths) to hundreds of broadband users from a single access point.
The CGH55015F and CGH55030F GaN transistors were developed to support the higher operational frequency and stringent efficiency and linearity requirements needed to enable next generation WiMAX base stations and access points. These 5 GHz transistors compliment the CGH35060 product that the company is releasing to round out their 3.5 GHz GaN HEMT WiMAX product line. This 60 W product is a direct result of customer feedback, and offers customers greater flexibility for 3.5 GHz WiMAX applications, particularly in Europe where remote radio heads (RRHs) are increasingly being used.
For further information visit www.cree.com.
