Highly Efficient 3-Bit Digital Power Amplifier for OFDM Waveform Amplification

Jiteng Ma; Gautam Jindal; Manish Nair; Tommaso Cappello; Gavin T Watkins; Kevin A Morris; Mark A Beach

doi:10.1109/TMTT.2022.3194092

Highly Efficient 3-Bit Digital Power Amplifier for OFDM Waveform Amplification

Jiteng Ma, Gautam Jindal, Manish Nair, Tommaso Cappello, Gavin T Watkins, Kevin A Morris, Mark A Beach

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

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Abstract

In this work, we present a digital power amplifier (DPA) and a signal-optimized control technique suitable for the amplification of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). OFDM is a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) signal that is naturally arising from high spectrum efficiency modulations. A 3-bit DPA is implemented with three power-scaled transistors which are turned on and off based on the signal amplitude, while phase modulation is restored using the RF input signal. The unavoidable non-linearities at the DPA output due to the PA switching are minimized by accounting for the OFDM signal probability density function (PDF). This PDF is a priori knowledge to design an optimal quantizer that minimizes distortion by distributing the DPA power levels where the signal amplitude is more similar to the original one. Back-off efficiency within 2^3=8 possible states is then optimized by implementing a load-modulating power combiner. Theory and an example design of the combiner network are provided and demonstrated for this DPA. The reported DPA prototype operates at 1.5 GHz with a 3-bit control and achieves a maximum power-added efficiency (PAE) of 64.3% and maintains a drain efficiency greater than 47% over the output power range from 36.6 to 45.2dBm (8.6dB range).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-13
Number of pages	13
Journal	IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TMTT.2022.3194092
Publication status	Published - 8 Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
IEEE

Keywords

Digital power amplifier (DPA)
Linerity
Load modulation
Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)
Optimization
Power efficiency

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10.1109/TMTT.2022.3194092

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This is the accepted author manuscript (AAM). The final published version (version of record) is available online via IEEE at 10.1109/TMTT.2022.3194092. Please refer to any applicable terms of use of the publisher.
Accepted author manuscript, 5.6 MB

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SWAN (Secure Wireless Agile Networks) EPSRC Prosperity Partnership
Beach, M. A. (Principal Investigator), Sandell, M. (Co-Principal Investigator), Hilton, G. (Co-Investigator), Austin, A. C. M. (Co-Investigator), Armour, S. M. D. (Co-Investigator), Haine, J. L. (Collaborator), Wales, S. W. (Collaborator), Luke, J. (Collaborator), Rogoyski, A. (Collaborator), Zhu, Z. (Collaborator), Watkins, G. T. (Collaborator), Kalokidou, V. (Researcher), Cappello, T. (Co-Investigator), Arabi, E. (Researcher), Nair, M. (Researcher), Ma, J. (Student), Wilson, S. (Student), Ozan, S. H. O. (Student), Prior, R. E. (Administrator), Xenos, E. (Student), Kayal, S. (Student), Chin, W. H. (Co-Principal Investigator) & Morris, K. A. (Co-Investigator)
1/02/20 → 31/01/25
Project: Research, Parent

Efficient Digital Power Amplifier and Learning-Based Microwave Structure Design for Future Wireless Communication Systems
Ma, J. (Author), Beach, M. (Supervisor) & Morris, K. (Supervisor), 18 Jun 2024
Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis › Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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title = "Highly Efficient 3-Bit Digital Power Amplifier for OFDM Waveform Amplification",

abstract = "In this work, we present a digital power amplifier (DPA) and a signal-optimized control technique suitable for the amplification of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). OFDM is a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) signal that is naturally arising from high spectrum efficiency modulations. A 3-bit DPA is implemented with three power-scaled transistors which are turned on and off based on the signal amplitude, while phase modulation is restored using the RF input signal. The unavoidable non-linearities at the DPA output due to the PA switching are minimized by accounting for the OFDM signal probability density function (PDF). This PDF is a priori knowledge to design an optimal quantizer that minimizes distortion by distributing the DPA power levels where the signal amplitude is more similar to the original one. Back-off efficiency within 2^3=8 possible states is then optimized by implementing a load-modulating power combiner. Theory and an example design of the combiner network are provided and demonstrated for this DPA. The reported DPA prototype operates at 1.5 GHz with a 3-bit control and achieves a maximum power-added efficiency (PAE) of 64.3% and maintains a drain efficiency greater than 47% over the output power range from 36.6 to 45.2dBm (8.6dB range).",

keywords = "Digital power amplifier (DPA), Linerity, Load modulation, Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), Optimization, Power efficiency",

author = "Jiteng Ma and Gautam Jindal and Manish Nair and Tommaso Cappello and Watkins, {Gavin T} and Morris, {Kevin A} and Beach, {Mark A}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: IEEE",

year = "2022",

month = aug,

day = "8",

doi = "10.1109/TMTT.2022.3194092",

language = "English",

pages = "1--13",

journal = "IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques",

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T1 - Highly Efficient 3-Bit Digital Power Amplifier for OFDM Waveform Amplification

AU - Ma, Jiteng

AU - Jindal, Gautam

AU - Nair, Manish

AU - Cappello, Tommaso

AU - Watkins, Gavin T

AU - Morris, Kevin A

AU - Beach, Mark A

N1 - Publisher Copyright: IEEE

PY - 2022/8/8

Y1 - 2022/8/8

N2 - In this work, we present a digital power amplifier (DPA) and a signal-optimized control technique suitable for the amplification of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). OFDM is a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) signal that is naturally arising from high spectrum efficiency modulations. A 3-bit DPA is implemented with three power-scaled transistors which are turned on and off based on the signal amplitude, while phase modulation is restored using the RF input signal. The unavoidable non-linearities at the DPA output due to the PA switching are minimized by accounting for the OFDM signal probability density function (PDF). This PDF is a priori knowledge to design an optimal quantizer that minimizes distortion by distributing the DPA power levels where the signal amplitude is more similar to the original one. Back-off efficiency within 2^3=8 possible states is then optimized by implementing a load-modulating power combiner. Theory and an example design of the combiner network are provided and demonstrated for this DPA. The reported DPA prototype operates at 1.5 GHz with a 3-bit control and achieves a maximum power-added efficiency (PAE) of 64.3% and maintains a drain efficiency greater than 47% over the output power range from 36.6 to 45.2dBm (8.6dB range).

AB - In this work, we present a digital power amplifier (DPA) and a signal-optimized control technique suitable for the amplification of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). OFDM is a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) signal that is naturally arising from high spectrum efficiency modulations. A 3-bit DPA is implemented with three power-scaled transistors which are turned on and off based on the signal amplitude, while phase modulation is restored using the RF input signal. The unavoidable non-linearities at the DPA output due to the PA switching are minimized by accounting for the OFDM signal probability density function (PDF). This PDF is a priori knowledge to design an optimal quantizer that minimizes distortion by distributing the DPA power levels where the signal amplitude is more similar to the original one. Back-off efficiency within 2^3=8 possible states is then optimized by implementing a load-modulating power combiner. Theory and an example design of the combiner network are provided and demonstrated for this DPA. The reported DPA prototype operates at 1.5 GHz with a 3-bit control and achieves a maximum power-added efficiency (PAE) of 64.3% and maintains a drain efficiency greater than 47% over the output power range from 36.6 to 45.2dBm (8.6dB range).

KW - Digital power amplifier (DPA)

KW - Linerity

KW - Load modulation

KW - Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)

KW - Optimization

KW - Power efficiency

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DO - 10.1109/TMTT.2022.3194092

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 0018-9480

SP - 1

EP - 13

JO - IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques

JF - IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques

ER -

Highly Efficient 3-Bit Digital Power Amplifier for OFDM Waveform Amplification

Abstract

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Keywords

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Projects

SWAN (Secure Wireless Agile Networks) EPSRC Prosperity Partnership

Student theses

Efficient Digital Power Amplifier and Learning-Based Microwave Structure Design for Future Wireless Communication Systems

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