Linearity characteristics study of millimeter-wave GaN power amplifier

Author

Qiu, Joe X. ; Darwish, A.M. ; Viveiros, E.A. ; Hung, H.A. ; Kingkeo, K.

Author_Institution

U.S. Army Res. Lab., Adelphi, MD, USA

fYear

2011

fDate

5-10 June 2011

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

4

Abstract

In this paper, a digital waveform system for evaluating the linearity characteristics of millimeter-wave GaN HEMT devices and MMICs is described. It is capable of generating and analyzing a wide range of waveforms. The linearity performance of a sample Ka-band one-stage GaN/SiC MMIC power amplifier is characterized to demonstrate the capabilities of the system. Performance metrics associated with different waveforms are measured. These include AM/AM and AM/PM for single-tone, intermodulation-product-to-carrier-ratio for two-tone, EVM and ACPR for digitally modulated waveforms. The dependence of these metrics on drain bias current is studied. This digital waveform system and its associated test methodology will help MMIC designers to assess device linearity characteristics to improve MMIC PA design with optimized power, efficiency and linearity.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MMIC power amplifiers; gallium compounds; high electron mobility transistors; millimetre wave power amplifiers; silicon compounds; wide band gap semiconductors; ACPR; AM-PM; EVM; GaN-SiC; HEMT devices; MIMIC power amplifier; MMIC PA design; digital waveform system; intermodulation-product-to-carrier-ratio; linearity characteristics study; millimeter-wave power amplifier; Computer languages; Gallium nitride; HEMTs; Indexes; MMICs; Performance evaluation; Power amplifiers; GaN; MMIC; Power amplifier; SSPA; linearity; millimeter-wave;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Microwave Symposium Digest (MTT), 2011 IEEE MTT-S International

Conference_Location

Baltimore, MD

ISSN

0149-645X

Print_ISBN

978-1-61284-754-2

Electronic_ISBN

0149-645X

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/MWSYM.2011.5972911

Filename

5972911