Engineering Blog
GaN RF power amplifier design, phased array front-ends, and satellite link analysis from the Falcomm engineering team.
GaN Drain Efficiency at Ku-Band: What the Numbers Mean for Phased Array Design
Drain efficiency above 60% at Ku-band is not a marketing claim. Here is the measurement methodology and what it means for your thermal budget.
Selecting a PA for LEO Ground Terminal: Five Specs That Actually Matter
Gain flatness, P1dB compression, and thermal resistance are not interchangeable tradeoffs. A guide for hardware teams evaluating RF front-ends for LEO VSAT terminals.
RF Front-End Challenges in 5G Massive MIMO Active Antennas
Active antenna units for 5G mmWave require PA efficiency that GaAs cannot deliver at scale. A technical look at where GaN changes the equation.
Thermal Resistance in PA Modules: The Spec That Limits Your Array Density
Junction-to-case thermal resistance determines how close you can pack PA elements in a phased array. Most datasheets understate its impact on sustained output power.
GaN-on-SiC vs GaAs at Ka-Band: A Direct Efficiency Comparison
Head-to-head measurement data comparing drain efficiency, OIP3, and thermal floor for GaN-on-SiC and GaAs processes at 26.5 to 40 GHz.
RF Path Variation and Calibration Overhead in Large Phased Arrays
Amplitude and phase matching across PA elements determines calibration time and pattern accuracy. How process-controlled GaN reduces that overhead.
OIP3 and Linearity Requirements for High-Throughput Satellite Links
As satellite payload modulation moves to higher-order QAM, output intercept point becomes the binding PA constraint. Here is how to size it correctly.
EVM Degradation from PA Nonlinearity in 5G NR Systems
Error Vector Magnitude requirements for 5G NR PUSCH tighten as mmWave deployments scale. PA AM-AM and AM-PM curves determine whether your link budget closes.
Packaging Technology Choices for Ka-Band PA Modules
QFN versus laminate versus bare-die attach: the package choice affects thermal resistance, parasitic inductance, and assembly yield differently at Ka-band.
Breakdown Voltage and Long-Term Reliability in GaN PA Devices
High breakdown voltage in GaN-on-SiC is only valuable if the device survives field conditions. A primer on accelerated life testing and reliability data interpretation.
PA Requirements for Military SATCOM: What Commercial Specs Miss
Defense SATCOM-on-the-move places demands on PA temperature range, vibration tolerance, and radiation hardening that commercial satellite specs do not capture.
How to Evaluate an RF PA: A Practical Guide for Systems Engineers
Evaluation kit setup, measurement calibration, and the four tests that separate a good PA from a good datasheet. A step-by-step field guide.