The travelling wave tubes (TWT) are historically been used for RF power amplification at high power and high frequencies. TWT’s are vacuum tubes specifically designed for the electronics industry to amplify RF signals from 300 MHz to millimeter-wave frequencies (up to 50 GHz). It continues to be used extensively. Amplifiers are used to amplify the amplitude of the radio frequency received by satellite antennas, regardless of their type, and are already being replaced by TWTs. Increasing the amplitude of the RF results in noise, distortion, loss of power, and therefore a suitable SSPA is used for various applications.
In recent years, in the RF industry Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology has no doubt been gradually entering into the market. Many papers and academic studies have been conducted on the differences and advantages of GaN (Gallium Nitrate), Si (Silisium) GaAs (Gallium Arsenite)-based RF power technologies.
The transformation from Gallium Arsenide (GaAS) transistors to Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistors in Solid State Power Amplifiers (SSPA) for satellite communications systems has taken place at a surprising rate.
GAN SSPA Benefits
- High Linearity
- High Power
- High Efficiency
- High Reliability
- Small Package
- Light Weight
GaN technology is widely considered a breakthrough technology due to significant improvements in high power density and reliability.
Although the first use of GAN technologies was in defense applications, it was later used in commercial satellites, especially at low frequencies, and later in X, Ku, and Ka. There was a market in this area when the satellite operator Turksat in Turkey, where we are operating, and some satellite operators in Europe started operating satellites operating on DBS tape.
DBS Band SSPA’s based on Gan technology from TTI Norte, which Profen represent, sold and installed to digital platforms, satellite operators and broadcasters in Turkey.
