Toshiba Adds High Gain 50W GaN HEMT Power Amplifier for C-Band SATCOM Applications

ANAHEIM, Calif., May 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC*) and its parent company, Toshiba Corp., announced the addition of a 50W C-Band gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) to its power amplifier product family. The new device will be shown at the 2010 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, during the conference exhibition, May 25-27 in Anaheim, California.

The 50W TGI7785-50L is another commercial C-Band GaN HEMT for satellite communication applications from Toshiba, joining a 120W C-Band amplifier introduced last year, and other GaN Toshiba Ku-Band devices. The new device operates in the 7.7GHz[1] to 8.5GHz range. RF performance specifications include output power of 47.0dBm (typ.)with 40dBm input power, linear gain of 11.0dB[2](typ.) and drain current of 5.0 Amps[2](typ.). This device enables increased output power and helps reduce size and weight in solid state power amplifiers (SSPA) for SATCOM applications.

"Our initial entry into C-Band GaN HEMTs was at the high end of the output power range, because microwave system designers have initially used GaAs devices for intermediate stage amplification to drive higher output GaN devices," said Homayoun Ghani, business development manager, Microwave, RF and Small Signal Devices, in TAEC's Discrete Business Unit. "This 50W GaN HEMT provides additional design flexibility by enabling use of higher performance GaN at a mid-amplification stage. It provides higher linear gain of 11dB compared to our conventional GaAs FETs with similar output power (45W and 60W), which have the gain of 6dB (typ.)[3]."

Toshiba's commercial GaN power amplifiers have been in volume production since 2008, starting with the Ku-band TGI1414-50L power amplifier, which operates in the 14.0GHz to 14.5GHz range for satellite communication applications. GaN technology provides superior device performance such as high gain and efficiency in the SATCOM and RADAR markets. Toshiba is exploring new markets for this technology and will continue its efforts to develop additional GaN devices in C-, Ku and other bands with higher output power.

Pricing and Availability

Samples of the TGI7785-50L are available now, with mass production scheduled for 3Q 2010. For pricing, please contact your Toshiba representative.

Technical Specifications 50W TGI7785-50L GaN HEMT

Toshiba Microwave Product Overview

Toshiba is a leading supplier of high-performance gallium arsenide microwave devices.  The company's line-up of products consists of a series of components within the S, C, X and Ku frequency bands, which are used in a wide variety of wireless applications.  These applications include FWA/BWA systems such as WiMAX, point-to-point (PTP) or point-to-multi-point (PTMP) terrestrial microwave radio links, satellite communications systems (SATCOM) such as high power solid state power amplifiers (SSPA) and very small aperture terminals (VSAT), radar systems and other industrial uses.  Toshiba is also expanding its family of higher gain, higher output power GaN devices for applications in satellite communications, terrestrial PTP or PTMP communications, radar systems and other industrial uses.

*About TAEC

Through proven commitment, lasting relationships and advanced, reliable electronic components, Toshiba enables its customers to create market-leading designs.  Toshiba is the heartbeat within product breakthroughs from OEMs, ODMs, CMs, distributions and fabless chip companies worldwide.  A committed electronic components leader, Toshiba designs and manufactures high-quality flash memory-based storage solutions, discrete devices, displays, advanced materials, medical tubes, custom SoCs/ASICs, digital multimedia and imaging products, microcontrollers and wireless components that make possible today's leading cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, medical devices, automotive electronics and more.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan's largest semiconductor manufacturer and the world's third largest semiconductor manufacturer (Gartner, 2009 WW Semiconductor Revenue, Dec. 2009).  For additional company and product information, please visit http://www.toshiba.com/taec/.

Information in this press release, including product pricing and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current and believed to be accurate on the date of the announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice.  Technical and application information contained here is subject to the most recent applicable Toshiba product specifications.  In developing designs, please ensure that Toshiba products are used within specified operating ranges as set forth in the most recent Toshiba product specifications and the information set forth in Toshiba's "Handling Guide for Semiconductor Devices," or "Toshiba Semiconductor Reliability Handbook." This information is available at www.chips.toshiba.com, or from your TAEC representative.

MWRF 10 592

[1]For purposes of measuring frequency in this context, one Gigahertz (GHz) = 1,000,000,000 cycles per second.

[2] with a supply voltage of 24V at 25oC

[3]Toshiba GaAs FETs used for comparison are the 45W TIM7785-45SL and 60WTIM7785-60SL.

SOURCE Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.