Scribd
Upload
386 views1 page

TWTA vs. SSPA: Advantages and Disadvantages

This document compares the advantages and disadvantages of TWTAs (traveling wave tube amplifiers) and GaN SSPAs (gallium nitride solid state power amplifiers) for satellite communications. TWTAs have higher available output power, are more efficient, generate less heat, and have demonstrated greater reliability over many years of use on satellites. However, they require high voltages over 10,000V. GaN SSPAs can achieve equal linearity and intermodulation performance as TWTAs. They have no theoretical lifetime limitation and could operate for over 1 million hours. But heat dissipation is challenging for SSPAs and power supply reliability is still an issue compared to TWTAs.

Uploaded by

SUNIL
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
386 views1 page

TWTA vs. SSPA: Advantages and Disadvantages

This document compares the advantages and disadvantages of TWTAs (traveling wave tube amplifiers) and GaN SSPAs (gallium nitride solid state power amplifiers) for satellite communications. TWTAs have higher available output power, are more efficient, generate less heat, and have demonstrated greater reliability over many years of use on satellites. However, they require high voltages over 10,000V. GaN SSPAs can achieve equal linearity and intermodulation performance as TWTAs. They have no theoretical lifetime limitation and could operate for over 1 million hours. But heat dissipation is challenging for SSPAs and power supply reliability is still an issue compared to TWTAs.

Uploaded by

SUNIL
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

TWTA vs.

SSPA: Advantages and Disadvantages


Functions Advantages Disdvantages Advantages Disadvantages
All units have the same linearity, intermodulation, and spectral regrowth performance
Linearity and Intermodulation
TWTA and GaN SSPA equal GaN SSPA and TWTA equal
Distortion
TWTAs have a higher
Available Output Power available output power and
at higher frequencies
Efficiency of Operation TWTAs are more efficient in
High Voltages = 10,000 volts+ High Current = 100 Amps+
(i.e., AC Power Consumption the back-off state
Basic RF Modules are
smaller than TWTA but the
TWTA packages including
power supply and required
Size and Weight power supplies are smaller
heat sinks make the overall
and weigh less
package larger than TWTAs
and are heavier
Power FETs dissipate large
TWTA power distributed amounts of power at a
over a relatively large area, concentrated point. Heat
Heat Dissipation
making heat sinking a less dissipation is currently one
challenging task of the most challenging
problems in SSPA design
TWTAs have logged many Tubes have a limited life from No limited life. Theoretically
Power Supply reliability is a
Reliability years of reliable operation 40,000 to 100,000 hours of could have MTBFs greater
known SSPA problem
on spacecrafts/satellites continuous operation than 1,000,000 hours
Foreign and domestic tube Below 20 GHz, all power FET
Source of Supply
suppliers suppliers are foreign
Solid state driver amplifiers SSPAs and driver amplifiers
TWTs are very stable over
Temperature Stability need to be temperature need to be temperature
temperature
compensated compensated
Noise Power 10 dBm beter than TWT
Harmonics 20 dBc better than TWT
Reliability vs. Temperature Operate up to 85 degrees C Operate up to 65 degrees C

You might also like