Solid-state ultra-wideband microwave power amplifier employing modular non-uniform distributed amplifier elements

A method for forming an ultra-wideband solid-state power amplifier having a constant output power over the frequency band, comprising the steps of:

• providing a number of non-uniform distributed amplifier strings, each having a number of transistor amplification stages interconnected by inductors in which there is an inductor between transistor amplification stages, each of the transistor amplification stages having input and output impedances with only real values;
• and,
• interconnecting the strings such that the interconnected strings form a solid-state amplifier having a multi-octave bandwidth and an output that does not fluctuate across the bandwidth, the interconnecting step including providing a phase matching element in series with the inductor between transistor amplification stages.

A method for providing a substitute for a traveling wave tube amplifier for use in a towed countermeasure application, comprising:

• substituting a solid-state multi-octave non-uniformly distributed power amplifier for the traveling wave tube amplifier, the solid-state power amplifier including a number of interconnected modular, non-uniformly distributed amplifier strings as modular building blocks such that the bandwidth of the interconnected strings acquires the bandwidth of the individual strings, whereby interconnecting non-uniformly distributed amplifier strings preserves the ultra-wide bandwidth of each of the strings, each string having a number of transistor amplification stages interconnected through an inductor and a phase matching element in series therewith.