How to Design a GaN PA MMIC

This white paper describes how to design a custom GaN PA MMIC using a commercially available GaN-on-SiC foundry process. It uses an X-band PA requirement as the design example and runs through the design process step-by-step to the point of having a completed MMIC layout ready for manufacture. It commences with the selection of the most appropriate GaN MMIC process then moves on to transistor level simulations including load-pull analysis to determine the optimum impedances at both fundamental and harmonics. This leads to the detailed schematic design and MMIC layout methodology. Finally, the approach for performing electromagnetic (EM) simulation and layout optimisation is described.