Raytheon RF Components
362 Lowell Street
Andover, MA 01810
Revised January 25, 2002
Page 1
Characteristic performance data and specifications are subject to change without notice.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
www.raytheonrf.com
Description
Two Identical Channels
21.0 dB Typical Small Signal Gain, Single Channel
2.0:1 Typical Input SWR, 2.5:1 Typical Output SWR, Single Channel
31 dBm Output Power at 1 dB Gain Compression, Single Channel
32 dBm Output Power at 3 dB Gain Compression, Single Channel
34 dBm Output Power at 1 dB Gain Compression, Dual Channel
22% Typical Power Added Efficiency at 1 dB Gain Compression
Chip size: 6.55 mm x 5.15 mm x 0.1 mm
Features
The Raytheon RMPA61800 is a fully monolithic dual channel power amplifier operating over the 6.0 to 18.0 GHz
frequency band. The amplifier uses a .25 micron Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor (PHEMT)
process to maximize efficiency and output power. The chip configuration incorporates two stages of reactively
combined amplifiers at the output preceded by an input amplifier stage. Two identical amplifier channels are
provided to achieve a typical total combined (using an off-chip combiner) output power of 33 dBm at 3 dB gain
compression. A single channel provides typically, 18 dB small signal gain and 31 dBm output power at 1 dB gain
compression.
RMPA61800
Dual Channel 6-18 GHz 2 Watt Power
Amplifier MMIC
Note: Quiescent Bias VD = +8V, ID = 600mA/channel, T
C
= +25C.
(Photo TBS)
Absolute
Maximum
Ratings
(Single Channel)
Performance
Characteristics
(at 25C)
50
system,
Vd=+8V, Quiescent
Current (Idq=600 mA)
Parameter
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
Frequency Range
6.0
18.0
GHz
Small Signal Gain
15
21
dB
P1dB Compression
28
31
dBm
P3dB Compression
30
32
dBm
PAE at 1 dB Gain Comp.
12
22
%
Parameter
Min
Typ
Max
Unit
Input Return Loss
9.5
dB
Output Return Loss
7.4
dB
Gate Voltage (Vg)
1
-0.4
V
Gain vs. Temp. 0~85C
-0.025
dB/C
Parameter
Symbol
Value
Unit
Positive Drain DC Voltage
Vd
8.5
V
Negative DC Voltage
Vg
-2
V
Simultaneous (Vd-Vg)
Vdg
+10.5
V
RF CW Input Power (50
source)
Pin
27
dBm
Drain Current
Id
1.2
A
Storage Temperature
Tstg
-55 to +125
C
Operating Base Plate Temp
Tc
-40 to +85
C
Thermal Resistance
(Channel to Backside)
Rjc
12
C/W
Raytheon RF Components
362 Lowell Street
Andover, MA 01810
Revised January 25, 2002
Page 2
Characteristic performance data and specifications are subject to change without notice.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
www.raytheonrf.com
CAUTION: THIS IS AN ESD SENSITIVE DEVICE
Chip carrier material should be selected to have GaAs compatible thermal coefficient of expansion and high thermal
conductivity such as copper molybdenum or copper tungsten. The chip carrier should be machined, finished flat,
plated with gold over nickel and should be capable of withstanding 325C for 15 minutes.
Die attachment for power devices should utilize Gold/Tin (80/20) eutectic alloy solder and should avoid hydrogen
environment for PHEMT devices. Note that the backside of the chip is gold plated and is used as RF and DC
Ground.
These GaAs devices should be handled with care and stored in dry nitrogen environment to prevent contamination
of bonding surfaces. These are ESD sensitive devices and should be handled with appropriate precaution including
the use of wrist-grounding straps. All die attach and wire/ribbon bond equipment must be well grounded to
prevent static discharges through the device.
Recommended wire bonding uses 3 mils wide and 0.5 mil thick gold ribbon with lengths as short as practical
allowing for appropriate stress relief. The RF input and output bonds should be typically 0.012" long
corresponding to a typical 2 mil gap between the chip and the substrate material.
Application
Information
RMPA61800
Dual Channel 6-18 GHz 2 Watt Power
Amplifier MMIC
Figure 1
Functional Block
Diagram
Figure 2
Chip Layout and
Bond Pad Locations
(Chip size=6.55mm
x 2.67mm x 100m.
Back of Chip is DC
Ground)
VG
VG
VG
VG
CHANNEL 2
CHANNEL 1
VD
VD
VD
VD
RF IN 2
RF OUT 2
RF IN 1
RF OUT 1
Raytheon RF Components
362 Lowell Street
Andover, MA 01810
Revised January 25, 2002
Page 3
Characteristic performance data and specifications are subject to change without notice.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
www.raytheonrf.com
Scope:
This application note briefly describes the procedure for evaluating the Raytheon RMPA61800, high efficiency
0.25 m PHEMT Dual Channel Amplifier. The chip configuration incorporates two stages of reactively combined
amplifiers at the output preceded by an input amplifier stage.
Carrier Assembly:
The attached drawing shows a recommended off chip bias scheme for the RMPA61800. The MMIC is mounted on
a Cu shim or ridge, which in turn blazed to Cu-Mo-Cu, or Cu-W, or Mo carrier with alumina 50-ohm microstrip lines
for in/out RF connections and off-chip DC bias components. The drawing shows the placement of components and
bond wire connections. The following should be noted:
Application
Note
(1) 1 mil gold bond wires are used on the carrier
assembly.
(2) Use 3-1 mil gold wires about 25 mils in length for
optimum RF performance.
(3) Vg: Gate Voltage (negative) input terminal for
amplifier stages. For best results, the gate supply
should have a source resistance less than 100
ohms.
(4) Vd: Drain Voltage (positive) input terminal for
amplifier stages.
(5) Vg and Vd on both sides of the MMIC must be
biased to insure proper operation.
(6) Bias decoupling capacitors of 0.01 uF (multilayer)
and 100 pF (single layer) are used on the carrier.
(7) Close placement of external components is
essential to stability.
(8) The test fixture may require a pair of 25 F
capacitor on the drain and gate(optional) bias
terminals to prevent oscillations caused by the test
fixture connections.
(9) For Laboratory testing, use good power supplies.
Set current limits on supplies to RF drive-up
current level. Keep supply wire/leads as short as
possible and if required use additional bypass
capacitors at the fixture terminals.
Figure 3
Recommended
Application Schematic
Circuit Diagram
(single channel
represented)
Bias application is
identical for each
channel.
Drain Supply (Vd= +8 V)*
Gate Supply (Vg)*
RF IN
RF OUT
Ground
(Back of Chip)
MMIC Chip
100pF
10,000pF
L
Bond Wire Ls
10,000pF
100pF
Bond Wire Ls
L
L
L
*Vg and Vd on both sides of the MMIC must be biased to insure proper operation.
RMPA61800
Dual Channel 6-18 GHz 2 Watt Power
Amplifier MMIC
Raytheon RF Components
362 Lowell Street
Andover, MA 01810
Revised January 25, 2002
Page 4
Characteristic performance data and specifications are subject to change without notice.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
www.raytheonrf.com
Application Note
Example of
Assembled
Combiner Module
RMPA61800
Dual Channel 6-18 GHz 2 Watt Power
Amplifier MMIC
CAUTION:
LOSS OF GATE VOLTAGE (Vg) WHILE DRAIN VOLTAGE (Vd) IS PRESENT MAY DAMAGE THE
AMPLIFIER. THIS AMPLIFIER IS AN ESD SENSITIVE DEVICE.
The following procedure must be followed to properly test the amplifier:
Step 1: Slowly apply Gate Voltage (typical Vpinch-off=
-1.5V) to terminal Vg.
Step 2: Slowly apply Drain Voltage at Vd (<+5 volts) and
monitor drain current Ids. Adjust negative
voltage Vg to set the drain current (Ids) to
approximately 600 mA per channel. Adjust the
drain voltage Vg to nominal +8 volts (adjust
Gate Voltage Vg, if needed, to maintain the drain
current at Ids.
Recommended
Procedure
for biasing and
operation
Step 3: After the bias condition is established, RF input
signal may now be applied at the appropriate
frequency band.
Step 4: Follow Turn-off sequence:
(i) RF input power=off,
(ii) Vd=off,
(iii) Vg=off.
Raytheon RF Components
362 Lowell Street
Andover, MA 01810
Revised January 25, 2002
Page 5
Characteristic performance data and specifications are subject to change without notice.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
www.raytheonrf.com
Typical Two
Channels
Combined
Characteristics
J
J
J
J J J
J
J
J J
J
J
J
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Frequency (GHz)
Power Added Efficiency @ P1dB
Vd=8.0V, Idq=1.2A
J
J
J
J J J J J J J
J
J J
J
J
J
J
0
5
10
15
20
25
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Frequency (GHz)
Small Signal Gain
Vd=8.0V, Idq=1.2A
The above data is derived from fixtured measurements which includes 3 parallel, 1 mil diameter, 15 mil long, gold bond wires connected to
the RF input and output.
The Id @ 1 dB compression increases to approximately 2 A. The dc supply should be able to support the required current to achieve the
above performance.
RMPA61800
Dual-Channel 6-18 GHz 2 Watt Power
Amplifier MMIC
Raytheon RF Components
362 Lowell Street
Andover, MA 01810
Revised January 25, 2002
Page 6
Characteristic performance data and specifications are subject to change without notice.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
www.raytheonrf.com
Typical
Characteristics,
Two Channels
Combined
The above data is derived from fixtured measurements which includes 3 parallel, 1 mil diameter, 15 mil long, gold bond wires connected to
the RF input and output.
The Id @ 1 dB compression increases to approximately 2 A. The dc supply should be able to support the required current to achieve the
above performance.
B B
B
B B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Frequency (GHz)
Output Power @ 1dB Compression
Vd=8.0V, Idq=1.2A
B
B
B
B
B
B
B B B
BB
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
J
JJ
J
J
J
J
J
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Frequency (GHz)
Input and output Return Loss
Vd=8.0V, Idq=1.2A
S11
S22
RMPA61800
Dual-Channel 6-18 GHz 2 Watt Power
Amplifier MMIC
Raytheon RF Components
362 Lowell Street
Andover, MA 01810
Revised January 25, 2002
Page 7
Characteristic performance data and specifications are subject to change without notice.
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
www.raytheonrf.com
Step 1 Slowly apply Gate Voltage (typical Vpinch-off= -
1.5V) to terminal VG.
Step 2 Slowly apply Drain Voltage at VD (<+5 volts)
and monitor drain current Ids. Adjust negative
voltage VG to set the drain current (Ids) to
approximately 1.2 A. Adjust the drain voltage
VD to nominal +8 volts (adjust Gate Voltage VG,
if needed, to maintain the drain current at Ids.
Test
Procedure
CAUTION:
LOSS OF GATE VOLTAGE (VG) WHILE DRAIN VOLTAGE (VD) IS PRESENT MAY DAMAGE THE
AMPLIFIER. THIS AMPLIFIER IS AN ESD SENSITIVE DEVICE.
The following procedure must be followed to properly test the amplifier:
Step 3 After the bias condition is established, RF input
signal may now be applied at the appropriate
frequency band.
Step 4 Follow Turn-off sequence:
(i) RF input power=off,
(ii) VD=off,
(iii) VG=off.
RMPA61800
Dual-Channel 6-18 GHz 2 Watt Power
Amplifier MMIC
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