High Output Power Ultra-Wideband Distributed Amplifier in InP DHBT Technology Using Diamond Heat Spreader

This work reports on a highly linear and high output power ultra-wideband distributed amplifier with improved thermal properties using a diamond layer for heat spreading. The performances of a circuit with and without the diamond heat spreader are compared. Adding the diamond yields a 4 dB improvement in 1 dB compression point (P1dB) and saturated output power (Psat). Intermodulation distortion has also been measured and the amplifier achieves 24 dBm OIP3 over a bandwidth larger than 60 GHz. In terms of small-signal characteristics, the circuit shows 12 dB gain and low deviation from linear phase, similarly to the non-diamond version. This amplifier demonstrates highest P1dB, OIP3, and PAE values as compared to other technologies with similar or higher bandwidth.