Case
GaN HEMT Characterization: Custom Load-Pull Fixture Design
Designing a custom low-loss load-pull fixture to characterize Guerrilla RF’s GaN HEMTs, enabling precise impedance modeling for Doherty PAs.
Our RF Application team can offer load-pull measurement services on RF power amplifier transistors based on GaN or LDMOS technologies and other RF-ICs. Our load pull measurement setup enables full and precise characterization of such devices. Last week, our RF Application team successfully completed a key milestone for our client
Accurate load-pull measurements are critical for determining the optimal source and load impedances for power and efficiency. However, at RF frequencies, the test fixture itself often introduces insertion loss and thermal bottlenecks that skew results, especially for compact packages like the DFN-14 (6x3 mm) used by Guerrilla RF. Standard evaluation boards were insufficient for the precision required. We needed a custom fixture that could handle the thermal dissipation of the GaN device while maintaining signal integrity to the load-pull tuner.
Our RF Application team can offer load-pull measurement services on RF power amplifier transistors based on GaN or LDMOS technologies and other RF-ICs. Our load pull measurement setup enables full and precise characterization of such devices. Our RF Application team successfully completed a key milestone for our client, Guerrilla RF. Using a load-pull measurement bench, we validate and characterize the performance of RF power transistors under different load conditions.
Guerilla RF required a full characterization over frequency and drain voltage as part of their GaN HEMT development. To support this, we designed a custom load-pull fixture tailored to the specific device, fine-tuned it for optimal performance, and verified it through a rigorous measurement process. The GaN-HEMT device of Guerrilla RF is soldered to a specially developed, load-pull fixture PCB with thick copper and very low-loss Rogers’ material to accommodate the DFN-14 6x3 mm package. This setup allows our engineers to characterize the device performance and find the optimum impedances for output power and efficiency.
To ensure measurement accuracy, we validated the entire setup using a golden reference device. This enabled us to confidently deliver precise data to support the design of efficient Doherty RF Power Amplifiers with Guerrilla RF’s GaN technology. Do you want more information about our load-pull measurement services? Get in touch with us via our contact
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