Case
1kW Solid-State GaN RF Amplifier for the ISM Band
Optimized and characterized a high efficiency RF power amplifier
While powerful, traditional magnetron tubes are imprecise and wear out. The clear replacement is solid-state RF power—using semiconductors like GaN instead of vacuum tubes. The real challenge isn't if you should switch, but how to build a solid-state solution that is both efficient and robust. We've done it. For the 'EnOp' project, our team designed, built, and fully characterized a 1kW GaN RF amplifier for the 915 MHz ISM band. The measured data proves you can have both: 73% efficiency and robust 1135W (P3dB) power.
Replacing legacy magnetron tubes for industrial and scientific (ISM) plasma applications demands a new approach. The goal is solid-state power: more reliable, more controllable, and far more efficient. Bruco IC has successfully designed, built, optimized, and characterized a high-efficiency 1kW RF power amplifier for the 915 MHz ISM band, proving that robust GaN technology is the ideal replacement for these demanding applications.
As a partner in the Interreg Flanders-Netherlands project 'CO2 FOR ENERGY STORAGE (EnOp)', we worked alongside leading institutes like DIFFER (Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research). Our role was to develop the critical high-power RF source needed for advanced plasma research—a core component for the project's success.
To meet the high-efficiency targets, our team opted for Gallium Nitride (GaN) transistor technology from Qorvo, which offers clear advantages over traditional LDMOS in this application.
The module was designed with a Class F architecture in mind (built and tuned in Class AB with harmonic tuning) to maximize efficiency. We also integrated a custom bias sequencer, making the final module robust and stable—a requirement for any real-world industrial or scientific system, not just a lab demo.
The final module showed excellent, stable performance during characterization. This was Bruco's first 1kW GaN project, and the data confirms our ability to design, build, and optimize high-power RF.
While this was our first GaN project at the 1kW level, it's a natural evolution of our deep experience. Our team has a long history of designing, building, optimizing, and characterizing RF power amplifiers up to 500W and 2.6 GHz using LDMOS. This proven LDMOS foundation, combined with our advanced RF measurement lab in Borne, gives us the practical, hands-on expertise to reliably deliver on high-power GaN projects.
Explore the latest developments in RF IC, analog/mixed-signal design from Bruco Integrated Circuits.
