Broadband RF Power Amplifier with Combination of Large Signal X-Parameter and Real Frequency Techniques

Abstract

A new design approach of broadband RF power amplifier (PA) is introduced in this work with combination of large signal X-parameter and Real-Frequency Technique (RFT). A theoretical analysis of large signal X-parameter is revisited, and a simplification method is introduced to determine the optimum large signal impedances of a Gallium Nitride HEMT (GaN HEMT) device. With the optimum impedance extraction over the wide frequency range (0.3 to 2.0 GHz), a wideband matching network is constructed employing RFT and the final design is implemented with practical mixed-lumped elements. The prototype broadband RF PA demonstrates an output power of 40 dBm. The average drain efficiency of the PA is found to be more than 60%; while exhibiting acceptable flat gain performance (12 +/- 0.25 dB) over the frequency band of (0.3-2.0 GHz). The PA designed using the proposed approach yields in small form factor and relatively lower production cost over those of similar PAs designed with the classical methods. It is expected that the newly proposed design method will be utilized to construct power amplifiers for radio communications applications.