MRF21030LR3 - 30W, 28V LDMOS RF MOSFET | NXP | 2.0-2.2 GHz
MPN: MRF21030LR3 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $145 | $145.00 |
| 10 | $132 | $1,320.00 |
| 100 | $118 | $11,800.00 |
| 500 | $105 | $52,500.00 |
| 1,000 | $92.5 | $92,500.00 |
MRF21030LR3 Overview
An RF LDMOS (Laterally Diffused MOS) transistor is a specialized power MOSFET architecture optimized for high-frequency, high-power operation. Unlike conventional vertical MOSFETs, LDMOS places the drift region laterally under the gate, achieving low parasitic capacitance and high breakdown voltage in a single die. In the cellular base-station hierarchy, LDMOS parts bridge the gap between small-signal GaAs devices (used in receive paths) and GaN-on-SiC HEMTs (used in newer high-efficiency Doherty final stages), giving designers a mature, cost-effective path to 30 W Class-AB amplification.
Key electrical features include 30 W typical output power at 1 dB compression, 13 dB power gain at 2.14 GHz, drain efficiency in the 50-55% range under multi-carrier W-CDMA drive, and 28 V nominal drain bias with 65 V maximum drain-source rating. Built-in ESD protection and a thermally enhanced ceramic NI-400 flange reduce reliability risk in fan-cooled or natural-convection base-station chassis. The part is characterized for Class-AB linear operation and has been used historically as both driver and final stage in 2 GHz WLL, PCS, and micro-cellular repeater designs.
The MRF21030LR3 silicon uses NXP's third-generation LDMOS process with a gold metallization stack for extended MTBF at elevated junction temperatures. Internal gate-source Zener diodes provide ESD protection to 250 V HBM, eliminating the need for external protection circuitry in modular PA designs. The matched input and partial output matching required for the NI-400 footprint is documented in the NXP application note that accompanies the data sheet.
Typical applications include W-CDMA/CDMA/TDMA driver and final amplifiers for 2.1 GHz band cellular base stations, multi-carrier power amplifiers for PCS microcells, WiMAX/WLL subscriber and base-station transmitters in the 2.0-2.2 GHz window, and Class-AB linear amplifiers for public-safety and amateur-radio links above 2 meters. The device remains a popular choice for legacy refreshes of existing Motorola-era hardware.
When designing with this part, ensure the drain supply rail is well-decoupled with a 10 uF plus 100 nF ceramic combination and a 4:1 or higher impedance transformer ratio for the output match. Maintain case temperature below 200 C in continuous operation; the NI-400 flange should be bonded to a copper or aluminum heat spreader with thermal grease. Avoid exceeding the 65 V absolute maximum drain-source rating, which can be reached under load-mismatch (VSWR > 10:1) conditions if the circulator or isolator protection fails.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives from the MRF21010/21045/MRF5P21180 families, and practical thermal and PCB-layout design notes not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for MRF21030LR3 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MRF21030LSR3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MRF21045LR3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MRF21010LR3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MRF21030LR3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Transistor Type | LDMOS, N-Channel Enhancement-Mode Lateral |
| Frequency Band | 2000 MHz to 2200 MHz |
| Test Frequency | 2.14 GHz |
| Output Power (Pout) | 30 W (typical) |
| Power Gain | 13 dB (typical at 2.14 GHz) |
| Drain-Source Voltage (VDS) | 28 V (nominal), 65 V (maximum rated) |
| Drain Current - Test | 250 mA (test condition) |
| Package / Case | NI-400 (CASE 465E-04, STYLE 1) |
| Mounting Type | Surface Mount / Flange Mount |
| Application | PCN/PCS base station, FM/TDMA/CDMA multicarrier amplifiers |
| Amplifier Class | Class AB |
| ESD Protection | Built-in Zener diodes on gate |
| Lead Free Status | Lead Free |
| RoHS Status | Compliant |
| Designed for | PCN/PCS base station, WLL, multi-carrier amplifiers |
MRF21030LR3 Pin Configuration
| Pin 1 | Gate — RF input gate connection (left lead row per CASE 465E-04 STYLE 1) |
| Pin 2 | Drain — RF output drain connection (right lead row per CASE 465E-04 STYLE 1) |
| Pin Flange | Source — Source and thermal ground connection via bottom copper flange |
MRF21030LR3 DC Safe Operating Area
Typical Applications
MRF21030LR3 is suitable for 6 applications: PCS / W-CDMA Base-Station Final Stage, Multi-Carrier CDMA Power Amplifier, 2.0-2.2 GHz WLL / WiMAX Subscriber Transmitter, Public-Safety / Amateur-Radio Linear Amplifier, Industrial RF Heating / Drying Oscillator, Legacy Motorola-Era PA Refurbishment.
PCS / W-CDMA Base-Station Final Stage
The MRF21030LR3 is the canonical NXP final-stage LDMOS for 2.1 GHz PCS base-station amplifiers where 30 W linear output and 13 dB gain are needed around 2.14 GHz. Its third-generation LDMOS process and built-in gate ESD Zener diodes simplify PA-module layout, while the 28 V bias keeps the existing 4:1 output transformer ratios published in Motorola-era reference designs valid. Designers gain a fully characterized 8-page data sheet with S-parameters, so a Doherty-combiner or single-ended PA can be built reproducibly for microcellular deployments.
Recommended
Multi-Carrier CDMA Power Amplifier
Multi-carrier CDMA at 1.9-2.1 GHz demands a transistor with both adequate linearity and high P1dB - characteristics the MRF21030LR3 delivers with 30 W CW and 13 dB gain under 28 V drain bias. The device's lateral N-channel enhancement-mode structure yields low memory-effect distortion across the carrier bandwidth, making it well suited to feed-forward or pre-distortion linearization loops where ACPR is the critical figure of merit. Engineers can replicate the Motorola-era CDMA PA reference designs with confidence because the data-sheet test fixture is also CDMA-characterized.
Recommended
2.0-2.2 GHz WLL / WiMAX Subscriber Transmitter
Fixed-wireless and WiMAX subscriber modules in the 2.4 GHz band corner use the MRF21030LR3 in Class-AB final stages that need clean 30 W output from a 28 V rail. Its 65 V maximum VDS gives significant transient headroom for load-mismatch events that occur when antenna impedance shifts with weather, while the ceramic NI-400 flange keeps junction temperature manageable in sealed subscriber-unit enclosures without active cooling.
Recommended
Public-Safety / Amateur-Radio Linear Amplifier
Above-2-meter amateur and public-safety bands often re-use 2.1 GHz LDMOS devices because they offer rugged operation and excellent gain compression characteristics for SSB and FM service. The MRF21030LR3, with 30 W Pout at 28 V and 13 dB gain, fits this role when paired with a low-pass or band-pass output filter, while the NI-400 flange provides the heat-spreading capability required for 100% duty-cycle FM and P25 repeater service.
Recommended
Industrial RF Heating / Drying Oscillator
Industrial 2.45 GHz plasma-generation, drying, and material-processing oscillators require a ruggedly biased RF transistor that can survive load-mismatch and supply transients. The MRF21030LR3 with its 65 V VDS rating and ceramic NI-400 flange fits this duty cycle as the final stage of a self-oscillating or driven power amplifier; the built-in gate-source Zener ESD protection further reduces field-failure rate in harsh industrial environments.
Recommended
Legacy Motorola-Era PA Refurbishment
Many existing 2.1 GHz base-station power amplifiers shipped between 2000 and 2010 used the Motorola MRF21030LR3 as the final stage, and NXP continues to manufacture the device for refurbishment and repair contracts. Matching PCB footprint and bias networks are unchanged, so field-replacement boards can swap a degraded MRF21030LR3 for a fresh-from-factory part without retuning the output network, assuming the heatsink is intact.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MRF21030LR3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MRF21030LSR3 | MRF21045LR3 | MRF21010LR3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package | NI-400 (CASE 465E-04, STYLE 1) | NI-400S (CASE 465E-04, STYLE 1) - same footprint family | NI-400 (CASE 465E-04, STYLE 1) - same | NI-400 (smaller lead footprint variant) - same family |
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors |
| Output Power | 30 W | 30 W | 45 W | 10 W |
| Drain Voltage | 28 V | 28 V | 28 V | 28 V |
| Power Gain | 13 dB | 13 dB | 12 dB | 13 dB |
| Test Frequency | 2.14 GHz | 2.14 GHz | 2.14 GHz | 2.14 GHz |
| Amplifier Class | Class AB | Class AB | Class AB | Class AB |
| Lifecycle Status | Active | Active | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Top-tier 30 W LDMOS in NI-400 flange with 13 dB gain at 2.14 GHz (vs MRF21010LR3)
- Same-die surface-mount variant available as drop-in (vs MRF21030LSR3)
- Higher-output drop-in upgrade within same family (vs MRF21045LR3)
Design Notes
Estimated: at Pout=30 W and drain efficiency ~55%, the MRF21030LR3 dissipates approximately 24 W in the NI-400 flange. Junction-to-flange thermal resistance is 1.0 C/W typical; with case temperature held under 70 C this keeps the silicon under a 100 C junction, matching NXP's long-life reliability curve. Use a copper spreader at least 4 mm thick with thermal grease.
Mount the NI-400 flange on a chassis heat-spreader using two M2 or M2.5 screws torqued to 1.5-2.0 in-lb; over-tightening can crack the ceramic lead rows. Use 50-ohm microstrip or stripline on the input and output lead patterns with a via-fence ground around the ceramic lead row to keep gate and drain traces at controlled impedance from DC to 3 GHz.
Avoid running the MRF21030LR3 open-loop without a DC-blocking capacitor on the gate lead; any DC leakage from the driver can shift the quiescent bias above the 250 mA datasheet reference and raise memory-distortion. Always include a 100 ohm gate resistor for stability margin above 500 MHz, and series ferrite beads on the drain supply to suppress parametric oscillations.
Compliance Information
RoHS and REACH compliance inferred from current NXP product-page declaration; AEC-Q100 is not applicable for cellular base-station RF power devices; lead-free and conflict-minerals compliance are stated on NXP's environmental information page.
