Failure Rate Analysis of SSPA Architectures for Reliability Improvement in Ka-band

doi:10.22716/sckt.2024.12.4.008

All Issue

2024 Vol.12, Issue 4 Preview Page Next Page

Research Article

Failure Rate Analysis of SSPA Architectures for Reliability Improvement in Ka-band Ka 대역 SSPA의 신뢰성 향상을 위한 구조별 고장률 분석: Chan-Joo LEE¹ and Yun-Ho Kang²
이찬주¹, 강윤호²; ¹Professor, Dept. of Electronic Engineering. Shinhan University
²Ph.D. candidate, Dept. of Electronic Convergence Engineering, Kwangwoon University

¹신한대학교 전자공학과 교수,
²광운대학교 전자융합공학과 박사과정

31 December 2024. pp. 107-116

PDF

Abstract

본 논문에서는 Ka 대역(27~31GHz) 5G용 RFBL(RF Biased Lifetime) 시험 장비를 위한 8채널 SSPA(Solid-State Power Amplifier)의 설계를 목적으로, 세 가지 구조(직렬연결 구조, 전력 분배기 구조, 전력 결합기 구조)에 대한 신뢰성 분석을 수행하였다. 신호가 인가된 상태와 무신호 상태에서 소비 전력을 비교하고, 소비 전력이 가장 큰 경우를 최악의 조건으로 설정하여 각 구조에서의 채널 온도를 계산하였다. GaN 및 GaAs 소자의 채널 온도와 MTTF(평균 고장 시간)를 계산하여 고장률을 비교한 결과, 전력 분배기 구조가 가장 높은 신뢰성을 보였으며, 직렬연결 구조는 가장 낮은 신뢰성을 보였다. 이를 통해 최적의 설계 방안을 도출하였으며, 향후 신뢰성을 고려한 RFBL 하드웨어 설계 및 제작에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 향후 다양한 환경 조건에서 성능 검증이 필요할 것이다.

This paper presents a reliability analysis of three different architectures (cascade, power divider, and power combiner) for the design of an 8-channel SSPA (Solid-State Power Amplifier) used in Ka-band(27~31GHz) 5G RFBL (RF Biased Lifetime) test equipment. The study compares power consumption in both ‘Under RF’ and ‘No RF’ conditions, identifying the worst-case scenario based on the highest power consumption, and calculates the corresponding channel temperatures for each architecture. The channel temperature and MTTF (Mean Time to Failure) of GaN and GaAs devices are then computed, and the failure rates are compared. The results show that the power divider architecture exhibited the highest reliability, while the cascade architecture had the lowest. This analysis provides an optimal design approach and contributes to future RFBL hardware development with improved reliability. Further performance validation under various environmental conditions is required.

Keywords

Reliability

SSPA(Solid-State Power Amplifier

RFBL(RF Biased Lifetime) test

MTTF(Mean Time To Failure)

Failure rate

References

G. D. Via, "GaN Reliability - Where We are and Where We Need to Go", CS MANTECH Conference, pp. 15-18, May 19th - 22nd, 2014.
Q. Lin, L. Jia, and H. Wu, "Temperature Reliability Exploration of GaN HEMT E/F3 Power Amplifier", 2022 IEEE MTT-S International Wireless Symposium (IWS), pp. 1-3, Harbin, China, 2022. doi: 10.1109/IWS55252.2022.9977835
10.1109/IWS55252.2022.9977835
F. Gucmann, J. W.Pomeroy, A. Sarua, and M. Kuball, "Channel temperature determination for GaN HEMT lifetime testing - Impact of package and device layout", International Conference on Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, CS MANTECH, 2019.
S. D. Burnham, and B. M. Paine, "Toward an RF GaN Reliability Standard", Proceedings of the JEDEC Reliability of Compound Semiconductors Workshop (ROCS), paper 3.2., Indian Wells, CA, USA, May 22, 2017.
E. Nash, "Thermal Management Calculations for RF Amplifiers in LFCSF and Flange Packages", Analog Devices, Application Note, AN-1604, 2019. https://www.analog.com/en/resources/app-notes/an-1604.html
"Understanding Thermal analysis of RF Device- Thermal Design from an Application Perspective", Qorvo, Application Note, Aug., 2023. https://www.qorvo.com/resources/d/understanding-thermal-analysis-of-rf-devices-application-note
"Gan Device Channel Temperature, Thermal Resistance, and Reliability Estimates", Qorvo, Application Note, Aug., 2019. https://www.qorvo.com/products/d/da006480
Kraus, Solid State Radio Engineering, chap. 12.9 Heatsink Design, Wiley & Sons.
"Gallium-Nitride Solid-State Power Amplifier Reliability Analysis Report", White Paper, Accel-RF instrument Corporation. http://www.accelrf.com/
MGA-425P8, "Reliability Data Sheet", Avago Technology. https://docs.broadcom.com/doc/AV02-1805EN

Information

Publisher :The Society of Convergence Knowledge
Publisher(Ko) :융복합지식학회
Journal Title :The Society of Convergence Knowledge Transactions
Journal Title(Ko) :융복합지식학회논문지
Volume : 12
No :4
Pages :107-116
DOI :https://doi.org/10.22716/sckt.2024.12.4.008

[1] G. D. Via, "GaN Reliability - Where We are and Where We Need to Go", CS MANTECH Conference, pp. 15-18, May 19th - 22nd, 2014.

[2] Q. Lin, L. Jia, and H. Wu, "Temperature Reliability Exploration of GaN HEMT E/F3 Power Amplifier", 2022 IEEE MTT-S International Wireless Symposium (IWS), pp. 1-3, Harbin, China, 2022. doi: 10.1109/IWS55252.2022.9977835
10.1109/IWS55252.2022.9977835

[3] F. Gucmann, J. W.Pomeroy, A. Sarua, and M. Kuball, "Channel temperature determination for GaN HEMT lifetime testing - Impact of package and device layout", International Conference on Compound Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, CS MANTECH, 2019.

[4] S. D. Burnham, and B. M. Paine, "Toward an RF GaN Reliability Standard", Proceedings of the JEDEC Reliability of Compound Semiconductors Workshop (ROCS), paper 3.2., Indian Wells, CA, USA, May 22, 2017.

[5] E. Nash, "Thermal Management Calculations for RF Amplifiers in LFCSF and Flange Packages", Analog Devices, Application Note, AN-1604, 2019. https://www.analog.com/en/resources/app-notes/an-1604.html

[6] "Understanding Thermal analysis of RF Device- Thermal Design from an Application Perspective", Qorvo, Application Note, Aug., 2023. https://www.qorvo.com/resources/d/understanding-thermal-analysis-of-rf-devices-application-note

[7] "Gan Device Channel Temperature, Thermal Resistance, and Reliability Estimates", Qorvo, Application Note, Aug., 2019. https://www.qorvo.com/products/d/da006480

[8] Kraus, Solid State Radio Engineering, chap. 12.9 Heatsink Design, Wiley & Sons.

[9] "Gallium-Nitride Solid-State Power Amplifier Reliability Analysis Report", White Paper, Accel-RF instrument Corporation. http://www.accelrf.com/

[10] MGA-425P8, "Reliability Data Sheet", Avago Technology. https://docs.broadcom.com/doc/AV02-1805EN

The Society of Convergence Knowledge Transactions ISSN:2287-8920(Print) 융복합지식학회논문지

All Issue