GaN protection at any power up/power down sequence

2nd April 2015

Siobhan O'Gorman

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Datasheet

A GaN bias controller and sequencer for fixed and pulsed negative gate biasing has been introduced by M/A-COM Technology Solutions. The MABC-001000-DP000L provides proper gate voltage and pulsed drain voltage biasing for a Device Under Test (DUT). The device also provides bias sequencing, ensuring that the pulsed drain voltage cannot be applied to a device under test unless the negative gate bias voltage is present.

The controller and sequencer offers protection and dynamic control of all MACOM high-power transistors, including its broad GaN portfolio. The solution consists of two functional elements arranged vertically on the customers’ board to conserve size, weight and cost.

The first functional element referred to as Module 1 is patterned and populated directly onto the customer board. The second functional element, referred to as Module 2, uses the land pattern of Module 1 and interconnects vertically through Module 1. The primary function of Module 1 is drain switching, while the main function of Module 2 is to provide the customer with easy gate switching.

The MABC-001000-DP000L is capable of robust GaN protection at any power up/power down sequence and has a target total switch transition time of less than or equal to 500ns. The device features an open drain output current of less than or equal to 200mA for an external MOSFET switch drive, a gate bias output current of less than or equal to 50mA for heavy RF compression and an internal thermistor or external temperature sensor voltage for gate bias sum. The recommended approach is to utilise both module functions. The controller and sequencer can be co-located in heavy EMI/RFI environments with little or no extra filtering. Additional features include optional remote temperature sensing and temperature, fast gate switching, remote gate adjust and buffered multi-gate bias.

With 30dB typical EMI/RFI rejection at all I/O ports, the MABC-001000-DP000L is RoHS compliant and 260° reflow compatible.

“The MABC-001000-DP000L is suitable for a DUT such as depletion-mode GaN or GaAs power amplifiers, or HEMT devices,” said Gary Lopes, Senior Product Director, MACOM. “In addition to these key applications, this device can be used for high power transistors including LDMOS, si bipolar and more.”

The MABC-001000-DP000L can also be installed onto an MABC-001000-PB1PPR evaluation board for evaluation, test and characterisation purposes.