GaN HEMT transistor modeling and application to highly efficient and linear amplifier designs

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Whether in terrestrial wireless applications, satellite communication and broadcasting or radar applications, power amplifiers play an important role in all of these systems. They often account for a large portion of the infrastructure cost and are largely responsible for their power consumption. Consequently, reducing their power consumption and improving their performance is not only economically important but it is also fast becoming environmentally necessary given the vast number of wireless terminals worldwide. One key to power amplifier performance is the transistor technology on which it is built. In recent years, an emerging semi-conductor technology, Gallium Nitride or GaN, has shown excellent promise in helping make power amplifiers better performing and "greener" for the environment. As its fabrication has become more and more reliable and its cost has continued to come down, this technology is now poised to be the dominant technology in the wireless/satellite power amplifier market in the coming years. To unlock this potential, power amplifier designers must have access to accurate and robust device models for their CAD tools and must consider novel design approaches to take advantage of the unique features offered by GaN technology. This project aims to develop such models and design approaches to enable Canadian companies to take a lead in using and deploying GaN technology, with all the economic and social/environmental benefits this brings.