New Technology Advance in Integrated High Power Limiter/LNA Performance

GaAs MMIC devices are commonly used in both commercial and military microwave systems. Because they comprise fine transistor geometries, these devices are susceptible to damage from high input power spurious electro-magnetic radiation often emanating from microwave transmitters in the form of nuclear electromagnetic pulses. Low noise amplifiers (LNAs), used to buffer the antennato- mixer front-end of microwave systems need high-power transient protection since these amplifiers can only sustain low-input power levels ranging from 10dBm to 20 dBm CW or 1 to 3 mJ of pulsed p o w e r. To protect these circuits and maintain a low noise figure, a high power and low loss limiter with typically less than 0.3 dB insertion loss is required. A microwave limiter, also known as a receiver protector, allows low input power signals to pass through it while attenuating the highpower signals above its rated threshold power level.

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