Nijmegen, The Netherlands, December 9, 2025 – Ampleon today announced the release of the ART4K0FX, the latest and most powerful member of its Advanced Rugged Technology (ART) LDMOS portfolio. Designed for the most demanding industrial RF energy systems, the ART4K0FX establishes a new benchmark for efficiency, ruggedness and long-term reliability. It not only surpasses its predecessors but also outperforms competing devices often advertised with “500 V breakdown voltage,” especially in the real-world conditions where industrial RF power devices must operate.
In continuous Class-AB operation at a 65-V supply, the ART4K0FX delivers 2 kW of CW output power with 86 % efficiency, representing more than 300 W of additional power over the widely adopted ART2K0. For high-efficiency switched-mode RF applications, the device achieves 1.2 kW at 89 % efficiency in Class-E, representing an increase of more than 200 W compared to its predecessors.
When operated in pulsed mode and at VDS = 75 V, the ART4K0FX is capable of reaching 4 kW peak RF power, making it suitable for demanding pulse-RF systems where both high instantaneous power and robust mismatch tolerance are required.
A key differentiator of the ART4K0FX is its breakdown-voltage design philosophy. While some suppliers pursue ever-higher BVdss values and promote them as a proxy for ruggedness, extensive benchmarking with leading industrial OEMs consistently shows that this approach introduces significant performance compromises. Raising BVdss by increasing the drain-extension length adds significant intrinsic capacitances, which restrict operating frequency, hinder efficient Class-E operation, increase junction temperatures due to reduced efficiency, and ultimately compromise long-term device robustness.
Ampleon follows a different path. The ART platform sets breakdown voltage deliberately at the optimal point, balancing BV, capacitances, thermal performance and ruggedness to maximize real-world survivability. This holistic engineering approach enables the ART4K0FX to withstand extreme mismatch conditions and stored-energy events that industrial RF power systems routinely generate. ART devices have demonstrated survival under VSWR conditions up to 65:1 at elevated supply voltages, without catastrophic failure. They remain operational even when briefly driven beyond breakdown and have sustained short-pulse stresses exceeding 50 kW per die section in accelerated testing.
Equally important, the ART4K0FX maintains stable breakdown behavior over lifetime, with no observable degradation after extensive RF on/off cycling, an area where competing “500 V” devices were unable to survive even two years of RF on/off cycling, despite their nominally higher breakdown specifications.
Thermal performance further reinforces device reliability. The ART4K0FX features a low thermal resistance of 0.07 K/W, enabling cooler operation at high RF power levels. Some suppliers attempt to compensate for efficiency limitations by using composite flange materials to lower Rth, but such methods often compromise ruggedness due to inferior mechanical and thermal behavior under large-signal mismatch. Benchmarking confirms that even with lower Rth, these devices degrade more rapidly because the reduced efficiency, not flange materials, dominate junction-temperature behavior. By achieving low thermal resistance without such trade-offs, Ampleon preserves both thermal efficiency and unmatched ruggedness.
“The ART4K0FX is a major step forward for industrial RF power systems,” said Houssem Schuick, Senior Director Product Marketing Management at Ampleon. “Many suppliers focus on headline parameters such as extremely high BVdss, but in real-world industrial applications, ruggedness is defined by how the device behaves under mismatch, thermal stress, stored-energy events and continuous cycling, not by static numbers on a datasheet. The ART4K0FX was engineered for these real conditions. It delivers superior efficiency, peak power capability and lifetime reliability where it truly matters.”
The ART4K0FX is housed in Ampleon’s proven SOT539A air-cavity ceramic package, operates up to 450 MHz and is backed by Ampleon’s 15-year product longevity commitment. The device is now available for production. Samples, evaluation boards and application support are offered through Ampleon’s global sales network and authorized distributors.
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For further information and reader inquiries:
Houssem Schuick, Senior Director, Product Marketing,
Ampleon Netherlands B.V.,
Halfgeleiderweg 8, 6534 AV Nijmegen, The Netherlands,
Email: houssem.schuick@ampleon.com,
www.ampleon.com
About Ampleon:
Created in 2015 and headquartered in the Netherlands, Ampleon is shaped by nearly 60 years of RF power leadership. The company envisions to advance society through innovative RF solutions based on GaN and LDMOS technologies. Ampleon is dedicated to being the partner of choice by delivering high-quality, high-performance RF products with its world-class talent. The portfolio offers flexibility in scaling design and production for any volume and addresses applications for 4G LTE, 5G NR infrastructure, industrial, scientific, medical, broadcast, navigation and safety radio. Proven reliability, secure supply and excellent product consistency enable highest manufacturing yields for customers who benefit from Ampleon being a one-stop-partner for RF power solutions. For more details, please visit www.ampleon.com.