26 GHz – 28 GHz Power Amplifier

Power Amplifier Features & Performance Benefits (5G / mmWave)

High Gain and High Output Power for 5G FR2

Mi-Wave 5G RF power amplifiers deliver high small-signal gain and stable output power across 5G FR2 and extended millimeter-wave frequency bands. High gain reduces the need for additional driver stages, while high output power supports base stations, small cells, wireless backhaul, and mmWave transmit arrays.

Excellent Linearity for Wideband 5G Signals

5G waveforms place strict demands on amplifier linearity. Mi-Wave power amplifiers are engineered to support high-order modulation schemes while maintaining low Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) and strong Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR) performance. This ensures spectral compliance and efficient use of licensed and unlicensed spectrum.

Wideband and Band-Specific Architectures

The 955 Series includes both wideband power amplifiers and band-optimized designs to match specific 5G allocations. Engineers can select amplifiers optimized for efficiency, linearity, and power density across Ka-band, V-band, E-band, and higher mmWave frequencies.

Stable Output Power Across Temperature and Frequency

Consistent output power is critical for link margin and beamforming accuracy. Mi-Wave power amplifiers maintain stable output levels across operating frequency and temperature ranges, supporting repeatable calibration in both laboratory and field deployments.

Optimized for Beamforming and Phased Arrays

High gain consistency, controlled phase behavior, and repeatable output power make these amplifiers well suited for beamforming and phased-array architectures used in 5G FR2 radios. Stable amplifier performance helps preserve beam accuracy and array efficiency.

Robust Biasing and Thermal Management

Advanced bias regulation and thermal design practices support reliable operation under wideband modulation and continuous duty cycles. These features enable deployment in outdoor 5G infrastructure, remote radio heads, and integrated antenna systems.

Production-Ready for 5G Infrastructure

In addition to development and prototyping models, Mi-Wave offers production-ready 5G power amplifier designs optimized for repeatability and manufacturability. These solutions support high-volume deployment while maintaining RF performance and long-term reliability.

Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) Features & Performance Benefits (5G / mmWave)

Low Noise Figure for mmWave Receiver Front Ends

Mi-Wave 5G low noise amplifiers are optimized for low noise figure, significantly improving receiver sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in FR2 and mmWave systems. Low NF is essential for recovering weak signals in dense urban deployments and long-range links.

High Gain with Excellent Stability

High, stable gain allows LNAs to boost low-level signals early in the receiver chain, minimizing the impact of downstream noise. Mi-Wave LNAs are designed for unconditional stability, supporting reliable operation across temperature and load variations.

Wideband and Band-Specific LNA Designs

The 955 Series includes LNAs tailored for specific 5G bands as well as wideband designs for flexible system architectures. This allows designers to optimize front-end performance for base stations, small cells, beamforming receivers, and test platforms.

Optimized for Beamforming and MIMO Systems

Consistent gain and low noise performance across channels make Mi-Wave LNAs ideal for beamforming and MIMO receiver arrays. Uniform LNA behavior helps preserve phase coherence and improves overall array performance.

High Isolation and Low Input Return Loss

Careful RF design ensures strong isolation and good impedance matching, reducing reflections and improving front-end robustness in complex 5G receiver architectures.

Rugged and Reliable for Infrastructure Deployment

LNAs are built with robust biasing and thermal practices to support continuous operation in outdoor 5G infrastructure, distributed antenna systems, and remote radio units.

Scalable Designs for Development and Production

Mi-Wave LNAs support both early-stage development and high-volume production, offering consistent RF performance across units for scalable 5G deployments.

Typical Applications for Microwave & Millimeter-Wave Power Amplifiers

Mi-Wave 955 Series microwave and millimeter-wave power amplifiers are used in a wide range of RF transmit, signal conditioning, and system-integration applications where stable output power, linear amplification, and spectral integrity are required.

Satellite Communication (SatCom)

Power amplifiers are critical in satellite uplink chains to boost RF signals prior to transmission.

Common SatCom applications include:

• Satellite uplink transmit chains

• VSAT and gateway terminals

• Ground station and teleport infrastructure

• Integration with RF upconverters and BUC architectures

• High-throughput satellite (HTS) systems

Stable gain and controlled output power support clean uplink spectra and regulatory compliance.

Radar and Sensing Systems

In radar platforms, microwave and mmWave power amplifiers provide the necessary transmit power for signal generation and injection.

Typical radar applications include:

• Surveillance and tracking radar transmitters

• FMCW and pulse-Doppler radar systems

• Ground-based, airborne, and maritime radar platforms

• Radar signal injection and calibration

High linearity and gain stability improve range performance and target detection accuracy.

Point-to-Point Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Links

Power amplifiers support long-distance and high-capacity wireless links.

Applications include:

• Microwave and mmWave backhaul links

• Fixed wireless access (FWA) systems

• Private and critical infrastructure networks

• High-throughput point-to-point radio systems

Clean amplification helps maintain link margin and spectral efficiency.

5G and Millimeter-Wave Wireless Development

Microwave and mmWave power amplifiers are widely used in development and validation of next-generation wireless systems.

Applications include:

• 5G FR2 base station and small cell testing

• mmWave transmitter development

• Beamforming and MIMO system validation

• Wireless backhaul and access research

Linear amplification is essential for wideband modulation and EVM performance.

RF Test, Measurement, and Research

In laboratory and production environments, power amplifiers provide controlled RF output levels.

Typical uses include:

• RF and mmWave test benches

• Signal source amplification

• Device and subsystem characterization

• Automated test equipment (ATE)

Repeatable performance supports accurate testing and validation workflows.

Glossary of 5G Power Amplifier & LNA Terms

Core Amplifier Definitions

Power Amplifier (PA)
A power amplifier increases the power level of an RF signal so it can be transmitted efficiently by an antenna.
In 5G and mmWave systems, power amplifiers must deliver high output power while maintaining linearity, low distortion, and spectral compliance.

Low Noise Amplifier (LNA)
A low noise amplifier amplifies very weak incoming RF signals at the receiver front end while adding minimal noise.
LNAs are critical in 5G FR2 systems where high path loss makes receiver sensitivity and noise figure especially important.

RF Amplifier
A general term for an amplifier operating at radio frequencies. In 5G systems, RF amplifiers include both PAs (transmit side) and LNAs (receive side).

5G and Frequency Band Terms

5G FR2
Frequency Range 2 defined by 3GPP, covering approximately 24.25 GHz to 52.6 GHz.
FR2 includes millimeter-wave bands used for high-capacity 5G deployments.

Millimeter-Wave (mmWave)
Frequencies typically above 24 GHz where wavelengths are on the order of millimeters.
mmWave enables very high data rates but requires highly optimized PAs and LNAs due to increased path loss.

Ka-Band
Approximately 26.5 to 40 GHz. Widely used in 5G FR2, satellite communications, and radar systems.

V-Band
Roughly 40 to 75 GHz. Used in 5G backhaul, high-capacity wireless links, and advanced research systems.

E-Band
Typically 71–76 GHz and 81–86 GHz. Used for high-throughput wireless backhaul and emerging 5G and 6G applications.

Performance and Linearity Metrics

Small-Signal Gain
The amplification provided by an amplifier when operating well below compression.
High small-signal gain reduces the need for additional driver stages in 5G transmit chains.

Output Power (Psat)
The maximum output power an amplifier can deliver when fully saturated.
Psat is important for determining maximum transmit range and link margin.

1 dB Compression Point (P1dB)
The output power level where amplifier gain compresses by 1 dB from linear operation.
P1dB defines the usable linear output range for modulated 5G signals.

Linearity
The ability of an amplifier to amplify signals without distortion.
High linearity is essential for 5G systems using wideband, high-order modulation schemes.

Noise Figure (NF)
A measure of how much noise an amplifier adds to the signal.
Low noise figure is critical for LNAs in 5G receivers to preserve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

5G Modulation and Spectral Metrics

Error Vector Magnitude (EVM)
A measure of modulation accuracy comparing the transmitted signal to the ideal constellation.
Low EVM is required to support high-order modulation used in 5G systems.

Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ACLR)
A measure of how much signal energy leaks into adjacent frequency channels.
Good ACLR performance ensures compliance with 5G spectral masks and reduces interference.

Spectral Purity
The cleanliness of the transmitted spectrum, including low distortion, low spurious emissions, and controlled out-of-band energy.

System Architecture Terms

Beamforming
A technique that uses multiple antennas and amplifiers to steer RF energy in specific directions.
Consistent gain and phase behavior from PAs and LNAs is essential for effective beamforming.

Phased Array
An antenna system using multiple elements with individual RF chains, often including dedicated PAs and LNAs per element.

Transmit Chain
The sequence of components that generate, amplify, and transmit an RF signal, typically including upconverters, drivers, and power amplifiers.

Receive Chain
The sequence of components that receive and process an RF signal, typically including LNAs, filters, downconverters, and ADCs.

Power, Bias, and Thermal Terms

Biasing
The DC operating conditions applied to an amplifier to set gain, linearity, and efficiency.
Stable biasing is critical for consistent 5G PA and LNA performance.

Thermal Management
Design techniques used to dissipate heat generated by amplifiers.
Proper thermal design ensures reliability and long-term performance in high-power 5G systems.

Efficiency
The ratio of RF output power to DC input power.
Higher efficiency reduces heat generation and power consumption in base stations and small cells.

Integration and Deployment Terms

Small Cell
A low-power cellular base station used to improve coverage and capacity in dense 5G environments.

Wireless Backhaul
High-capacity wireless links, often operating at mmWave frequencies, used to connect base stations to the core network.

Automated Test Equipment (ATE)
Test systems that use PAs and LNAs to validate performance, linearity, and compliance of 5G components and radios.

Role of PAs and LNAs in 5G Systems

In 5G and mmWave architectures, power amplifiers and low noise amplifiers directly determine system performance.
PA linearity affects EVM, ACLR, and transmit efficiency, while LNA noise figure sets receiver sensitivity and link margin.

High-performance PAs and LNAs are therefore foundational components in 5G base stations, beamforming radios, wireless backhaul systems, and advanced test platforms.