Intermodulation reduction in Wide Bandgap amplifiers

Both the US and the European Union are developing high power solid-state amplifiers to reduce their reliance on travelling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA). The Military has proposed to use these solid-state amplifiers, also known as wide bandgap (WBG) amplifiers, for jamming and communications equipment. Most jamming and communications situations require a maximum amount of RF power transmitted on the intended frequency. This often results in operating the final RF amplifiers near saturation - a very nonlinear operating region. However, operating multi-spectral waveforms through saturated amplifier creates intermodulation (IM) products that can interfere with friendly communications and navigation equipment. This paper develops a unique method for reducing the intermodulation distortion products due multi-spectral waveforms operating saturated amplifiers.