High Efficiency RF Power Amplifier Designed With Harmonic Real-Time Active Load-Pull

Author

Cui, Xian ; Doo, Seok Joo ; Roblin, Patrick ; Strahler, Jeffrey ; Rojas-Teran, Roberto G.

Author_Institution

Ohio State Univ., Columbus

Volume

18

Issue

4

fYear

2008

fDate

4/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

266

Lastpage

268

Abstract

In this work, a high efficiency p-HEMT radio frequency power amplifier (PA) is designed using a new multiharmonic real-time active load-pull using the large signal network analyzer. This technique synthesizes a large set of instantaneous load mismatches to quickly find the optimal harmonic impedances, so as to achieve high PA efficiency in a shortened design cycle. At 2 GHz a demo power amplifier implemented with a p-HEMT demonstrated a power added efficiency (PAE) of 68.5% for 18.0 dBm output power, while achieving a maximum PAE of 75% below the 1 dB compression point for 18.6 dBm output power.

Keywords

network analysers; power amplifiers; radiofrequency amplifiers; demo power amplifier; frequency 2 GHz; gain 1 dB; gain 18.6 dB; high efficiency RF power amplifier; instantaneous load mismatches; large signal network analyzer; multiharmonic realtime active load-pull; optimal harmonic impedances; p-HEMT radio frequency power amplifier; power added efficiency; shortened design cycle; Large signal network analyzer (LSNA); power added efficiency (PAE); power amplifier (PA); real-time active load-pull (RT-ALP);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LMWC.2008.918913

Filename

4470106