Mitsubishi Electric Develops GaN Power Amplifier on Si Substrate for Mobile Communications Base Stations

Mitsubishi Electric announced today it has developed a prototype high-output, high-efficiency 2GHz power amplifier for mobile communications base stations. The amplifier features a gallium nitride (GaN) transistor on a silicon (Si) substrate instead of a more costly silicon carbide (SiC). Mitsubishi Electric’s new GaN power amplifier achieves a power conversion efficiency of 70% at 2.1GHz, largely improving upon the 58% conversion efficiency of Si transistor amplifiers currently available commercially.


The amplifier is expected to lead to the development of smaller and more power-efficient base station transmitters. The installation of such equipment in tighter spaces will help expand wireless network coverage to accommodate increasing wireless traffic due to smartphone proliferation.