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High Power, High Temperature Microwave RF Electronic Devices
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Silicon carbide based microwave electronics can function at large power densities and high
temperatures offering significant improvements to wireless communications and radar.
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The majority of solid-state microwave communication and radar electronics is presently implemented in GaAs semiconductor technology. However, military
aircraft desire solid-state microwave electronics operating at higher powers and temperatures than is theorectically possible with GaAs. SiC-based
microwave electronics is being developed to fill this void, but many of the same performance advantages apply to the expanding "global village" of
worldwide electronic wireless communciations. Even though SiC technology is relatively young and immature compared to well-developed GaAs technology,
the superior inherent physical properties of SiC has already enabled prototype SiC transistors to perform at power densities well beyond the theoretical
limit of GaAs-based microwave transistors. SiC RF transistors are expected to be incorporated into radar systems, cell phone base stations, and High
Definition Television (HDTV) Transmitters in the near future.
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Article: Silicon Carbide Mixers to Improve the Interference Immunity of Radio-Based Aircraft Avionics
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Additional Background Information:
C. D. Brandt, A. K. Agarwal, G. Augustine, A. A. Burk, R. C. Clarke, R. C. Glass, H. M. Hobgood, J. P. McHugh, P. G. McMullin, R. R. Siegiej, T.
J. Smith, S. Sriram, M. C. Driver, and R. H. Hopkins, "Advances in Silicon Carbide Device Processing and Substrate Fabrication for High Power
Microwave and High Temperature Electronics", in Institute of Physics Conference Series, no. 141, Compound Semiconductors 1994, H. Goronkin and U.
Mishra, Eds. Bristol, United Kingdom: IOP Publishing, 1995, pp. 373-376.
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