Power Solutions For Phased Radar

Technology is always evolving. Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, along with power management integrated circuitry (PMIC) in phased array radar systems, is part of this evolution. GaN entered the market some time ago with differences in operational methodology but with the key advantage of higher power, wider bandwidth and high breakdown voltage performance over previous generational technologies. Making it a good fit for radar applications.

One such operational difference was its biasing sequence. GaN is a depletion mode Field Effect Transistor (FET) – needing a negative Gate voltage during operation. This negative Gate voltage, sometimes called “pinch-off,” must be applied prior to increasing the positive Drain voltage. If this bias sequence is not properly done, the GaN device can be damaged. But technological evolution has made this task easier using PMICs.

In the following paragraphs, we explore how PMICs can be used to make the design of a phased array radar system easier. While at the same time, the implementation of these PMICs can help designers create a more optimized, robust and self-calibrating radar system with superior performance.