Whitepaper

Advantages of GaN RF Amplifiers with High Peak-to-Average Capability to P1dB Rated Amplifiers

Exodus Advanced Communications

This application note from Exodus Advanced Communications compares Gallium Nitride (GaN) RF amplifiers with high peak-to-average capability to traditional P1dB rated amplifiers. The paper highlights that GaN SSPAs offer superior efficiency (>40%) and power density (>8W/mm of gate periphery), particularly advantageous for wideband applications exceeding 1.0 GHz, including 5G communications, radar, EMC/EMI testing, and electronic warfare. While P1dB amplifiers provide excellent linearity up to their compression point, GaN devices maintain performance with signals exhibiting high crest factors and peak-to-average ratios – crucial for modern complex modulation schemes where peaks exceed the 1dB threshold. The analysis concludes that GaN SSPAs are a strong solution for applications needing both efficiency and robustness under dynamic signal conditions.