High-performance distributed amplifiers offer positive gain slope

Latest from Custom MMIC are two new BroadRange distributed amplifiers, the DC-22 GHz CMD240 and 2-22 GHz CMD241 which feature a novel positive gain slope, which eases the design of broadband systems by eliminating equalizer circuits or added amplifiers to compensate for the typical negative gain slope of most amplifiers, says the company. The CMD240 is an ultra-wideband GaAs MMIC BroadRange distributed amplifier that operates with a low noise figure, low current consumption, and high linearity in a small die size. From DC to 22GHz, this amplifier delivers over 15dB of gain with a mid-band noise figure of 2.2dB, output 1dB compression point of 19dBm and output IP3 of 28dBm at 10GHz with a 5V supply. The CMD241 is a wideband GaAs MMIC BroadRange distributed amplifier that operates with a low mid-band noise figure of 2.3dB, an output IP3 of +28dBm, a low supply current of 74mA in a small die size. The CMD241 offers over 13dB of gain with a maximum RF input power of +20dBm. Both amplifiers are 50 ohm matched designs, eliminating the need for RF port matching and can operate off a 3V to 8V power supply. The CMD241 also has on-chip blocking capacitors. Applications for the CMD240 and CMD241 include defence / commercial communications and instrumentation. Both amplifiers will be offered in QFN packages later in the summer, says the company.