News: Microelectronics
4 March 2026
Circuits Integrated launches Ka-band integrated switch power amplifiers
Satellite communication (Satcom) technology provider Circuits Integrated Hellas (CIH) of Athens, Greece has launched the CI-ONE family of small-form-factor integrated PA + SPDT modules for Ka-band applications, delivering ultra-fast (5ns) switching speeds for next-generation Satcom architectures vital in 5G/6G, radar and aerospace applications.
“Building on the commercial momentum and integration philosophy behind our Kythrion platform, CI-ONE represents the next step in RF front-end innovation,” says co-founder & CEO Paolo Fioravanti. “This new product family significantly advances integration in Ka-band power amplification, one of the most cost-sensitive and performance-demanding segments in satellite communication.”
Redefining Ka-band RF integration
Conventional switched Ka-band transmit front-ends rely on discrete power amplifiers and RF switches, increasing PCB area, system cost, thermal complexity, and design effort. CI-ONE collapses these functions into a single, compact, surface-mount module — integrating a high-performance power amplifier and single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch in one optimized device. As a result, the modules are about 3x smaller, up to 50% less costly, and up to 25% more efficient than conventional discrete PA + SPDT implementations, it is reckoned, delivering exceptional performance for Satcom applications.
This integration-driven approach directly addresses a rapidly expanding market opportunity, says CIH. The total addressable SPDT + PA market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 10%, from US$530–648m in 2026 to US$1.3–1.8bn by 2035. Much of this is driven by Ka-band deployments across commercial VSAT, defense multi-band terminals, and emergency response systems. Moreover, the market for gallium arsenide (GaAs)-based RF switches and amplifiers, expected to reach US$400m by 2035, is driven by five major application segments — all key target segments for CI-ONE: commercial high-throughput satellite, maritime, in-flight connectivity, defense multi-band systems and emergency response.
Key performance features
Fabricated using a GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (pHEMT) process, the CI-ONE family operates from a 6V supply and supports three output power classes — 30dBm, 34dBm and 36dBm variants — enabling design flexibility across 1W, 2W and 4W system requirements. With fast switching performance of 5ns and efficiency of about 22% at the 1dB compression point (P1dB), CI-ONE enables agile transmit architectures without sacrificing power-added efficiency.
By replacing multiple MMIC configurations with a single integrated solution, CI-ONE reduces component count, simplifies routing, and shortens development cycles, and allows OEMs to scale power levels while preserving PCB reuse — critical for high-volume terminal platforms.
The launch of CI-ONE represents another milestone along CIH’s roadmap. In November 2025, the firm expanded into the UK by becoming a member of Space South Central, one of the region’s largest space clusters. CIH will seek opportunities to move CI-ONE to high-volume manufacture as CI-ONE engagement and implementation escalates.
The CI-ONE family of integrated Ka-band switch power amplifiers will be available in fourth-quarter 2026, with early engagement and sampling programs beginning prior to general release.
