Ampleon has released the first of a family of RF power devices based on its Advanced Rugged Technology (ART) derivative of the ninth-generation high-voltage LDMOS process technology. The process has been developed to enable the implementation of extremely rugged transistors with operating voltages of up to 65 V.
The first product to use the process, the ART2K0FE, is a 2-kW transistor with a frequency response of 0 to 650 MHz, offered in an air-cavity ceramic package. According to the company, it is designed to withstand the harshest conditions in industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) applications. Its roles include driving high-power carbon dioxide (CO2) lasers, plasma generators, and some MRI systems. The ART devices are suitable for use in these applications because they can handle very high voltage standing-wave ratio (VSWR) mismatches of 65:1 at 65 V, which CO2 lasers and plasma generators can exhibit in operation.
Devices built on the ART process have high impedances so that they are easier to integrate into products during the development phase, and to ensure greater product consistency in mass production. The process also enables construction of devices that have greater efficiency than competing LDMOS offerings. This reduces the operating costs of end applications by wasting less of the input electrical energy as heat. It also allows the devices to have greater power density, which means they can be offered in smaller and lower-cost packages, thus shrinking board footprint and systemic costs.
The ART devices have a high breakdown voltage, which ensures that they will work consistently and reliably throughout their intended lifespan. Ampleon is guaranteeing that the devices will be available for 15 years, so product designers can plan for the long term.
The ART2K0FE in an air-cavity ceramic package is now sampling with reference circuits available at different frequencies. Ampleon also offers an over-molded plastic version with lower thermal resistance, the ART2K0PE. Production for both variants is expected to begin in the second half of 2019.
