**HMC865LC3: A Comprehensive Technical Overview of the 6 GHz to 26 GHz, Wideband GaAs MMIC SMT Power Amplifier**

The **HMC865LC3** represents a significant advancement in microwave amplification technology, engineered to meet the demanding requirements of modern wideband communication, electronic warfare (EW), radar, and test equipment applications. This **GaAs MMIC (Gallium Arsenide Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit) power amplifier** is designed to operate across an exceptionally broad frequency range from **6 GHz to 26 GHz**, providing a versatile solution for complex RF signal chains.

Fabricated on a high-performance GaAs pHEMT process, the HMC865LC3 delivers outstanding power output and linearity across its entire bandwidth. A key performance metric is its **saturated power output (PSAT) of up to 27 dBm**, making it a robust driver stage for high-frequency systems. It achieves a **small-signal gain of 18 dB**, ensuring sufficient signal amplification with minimal additional stages. Furthermore, the amplifier maintains a **power-added efficiency (PAE) of up to 20%**, a critical factor for power-sensitive and portable applications where thermal management and battery life are paramount.

The device is offered in a **leadless, surface-mount technology (SMT) 3x3 mm ceramic package**. This package style is crucial for modern high-density PCB designs, offering excellent thermal performance and simplifying the assembly process by enabling standard pick-and-place and reflow soldering techniques. The inclusion of exposed metal pads underneath the package ensures an efficient electrical ground and a low thermal impedance path to the circuit board, which is essential for dissipating heat generated during operation.

Biasing the HMC865LC3 is straightforward, requiring a **positive supply voltage (Vdd) of +5V** and typically drawing **120 mA of current**. The amplifier is also designed with internal matching networks, significantly reducing the need for external components and simplifying the overall board-level design. This internal matching is a primary enabler of its wide instantaneous bandwidth, allowing it to amplify signals across multiple octaves without the need for band-switching.

In application, the HMC865LC3 excels as a **driver amplifier (DA)** for transmit chains or as a high-output stage in general-purpose signal amplification. Its wideband nature makes it ideal for sweeping or multi-frequency systems, eliminating the need for multiple narrowband amplifiers. Its robust performance characteristics ensure signal integrity for complex modulation schemes used in 5G, SATCOM, and military systems.

**ICGOOODFIND:** The HMC865LC3 stands out as a high-performance, wideband power amplifier that successfully balances **exceptional bandwidth (6-26 GHz), high output power, and integration into a compact SMT package**. Its design simplifies integration for system engineers, making it a superior choice for next-generation microwave applications where size, weight, and power (SWaP) are critical constraints.

**Keywords:**

1. **Wideband Amplifier**

2. **GaAs pHEMT MMIC**

3. **Power Amplifier (PA)**

4. **Surface-Mount Technology (SMT)**

5. **Millimeter-wave**