Mitsubishi Electric announced today they have developed a new technology to realize a gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier module for 5G base-stations that offers a combination of compact (6mm by 10mm) footprint and extra-high power-efficiency, the latter exceeding an unprecedented rating of 43%.
The module, which uses a minimum number of chip components in the matching circuit to control high-quality signal output, is expected to help realize 5G base-stations that are widely deployable and highly power efficient. Technical details of the new module will be presented at the IEEE International Microwave Symposium this coming August.
In 4G base-stations, which do not use massive Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output (mMIMO) antennas, power amplifiers use metal-foil transmission lines for the matching circuit. While this lowers power loss, resulting in high-efficiency operation, transmission lines take up space and make it difficult to realize base stations that are both extra small and extra power efficient. Mitsubishi Electric’s new technology eliminates the need for transmission lines in 5G power amplifiers.
The new amplifier module’s matching circuit is integrated with surface mount devices (SMDs), such as capacitors and inductors. By introducing a highly accurate electromagnetic field analysis method and applying a unique technology for the dense arrangement of SMDs, Mitsubishi Electric was able to reduce the amplifier’s size to just one-ninetieth that of conventional power amplifiers.
