What are GaN on SiC Transistors?
Gallium Nitride on Silicon Carbide (GaN on SiC) transistors are specialized transistors used in high-efficiency power applications. They are High-Electron-Mobility Transistors (HEMT) type that use GaN on a SiC Wafer which makes it a very reliable material for transistor construction. These transistors are ideal for high power and high-speed switching applications. High power applications make them ideal for use in base stations, radio transmitters, radars, satellites and various other wireless infrastructure and military applications.
GaN is a wide band-gap (WBG) semiconductor material and is used to construct semiconductor devices such as diodes and transistors. It boasts high levels of thermal conductivity, heat capacity and hardness with low sensitivity to ionizing radiation. However, developing native GaN substrates have some technological challenges and GaN generally utilizes a wafer substrate to overcome the technological challenges.
The choice of that wafer substrate material is critical. This material must have a high thermal conductivity and high lattice match with GaN. Silicon Carbide, or SiC, has high thermal conductivity, and also matches the GaN lattice.
Important parameters of GaN on SiC Transistors:
- Operating Frequency: This is the frequency range at which a GaN on SiC Transistor is fully functional or provides the best performance.
- Output Power (W/dBm): It is the magnitude of power that the transistor will provide at the output after amplifying a signal.
- Gain (dB): The gain of a Transistor is the ratio of output to input power/amplitude. This is measured in dB.
- Power/Drain Efficiency (%): Efficiency is a measure of how well a device converts one energy source to another. In case of a transistor, drain efficiency is the ratio of output RF power to the input DC power.
- Package Type: Based on the required application, the package type for GaN on SiC Transistors can be selected. There are a number of different package types available - Connectorized, Surface Mount, Die etc.
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