News

10 May 2010

 

Accel-RF adds multi-channel solid-state power amplifier subsystems

Accel-RF Corp of San Diego, CA, USA, which produces turn-key RF reliability and performance characterization test systems for compound semiconductors, has added three new multi-channel solid-state power amplifier (SSPA) subsystems to its product line: an L-band 1–2GHz Solid State Power Amplifier Box; an S-band 2.9–3.3GHz Solid-State Power Amplifier Box with 25W of output power on each channel; and a broadband C/X-band 4–10GHz Solid-State Power Amplifier Box with 2W of output power per channel across the full frequency band.

The SSPA subsystems can be configured for a bank of 4, 8 or 16 channels. Accel-RF’s SSPAs are implemented as stand-alone subsystems or embedded in the firm’s RF Automatic Accelerated Reliability Test Systems (AARTS) to characterize RF performance with age and perform gain-compression aging tests. The SSPAs are designed as plug-and-play inter-changeable units to allow flexibility and modularity in the AARTS platform.

“Our customers need the capability to compress the RF gain of their devices as a normal part of reliability testing,” says president & founder Roland Shaw. “In many new technology devices, such as gallium nitride (GaN), RF output power may degrade over time. Driving devices to 2 or 3dB of compression at elevated temperatures allows a significant amount of parametric information to be found,” he adds.“These new SSPA models provide our customers with a significant capability to characterize higher-output power devices and MMICs at user-application frequencies of interest.”

“Our customers have to achieve a balance of RF power, test-frequency, and cost. With these new models we can offer a plug-n-play solution as testing needs move to larger gate-periphery products,” concludes Shaw.

See related items:

Accel-RF ships its first millimeter-wave reliability test system

Accel-RF ships reliability test systems for European GaN device development

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Visit: www.accelrf.com