TY - JOUR
T1 - Load Modulation of Harmonically Tuned Amplifiers and Application to Outphasing Systems
AU - Morris, Kevin
AU - De Falco, Paolo Enrico
AU - Konstantinos, Mims
AU - Ben Smida, Souheil
AU - Watkins, Gavin
AU - Wallis Barton, Taylor
AU - Pednekar, Prathamesh
PY - 2017/10/1
Y1 - 2017/10/1
N2 - Modulation of load impedance is an effective way to maintain efficient power amplifier (PA) operation over high dynamic range modulated signals. For high efficiency, a load modulation approach can be applied to inherently efficient classes of PAs such as those with harmonic tuning: Class J, Class F, and Inverse Class F. This paper presents an analysis of harmonically tuned (HT) amplifiers operating under load modulation conditions, deriving the optimal loading trajectories for these multiple classes of operation. Because these load trajectories are complex, it is then shown-through a series of analysis, simulations, and measurements-that HT amplifiers are better suited for outphasing systems, than conventional amplifiers such as Class B. A design methodology is proposed and validated through design and measurement of a 900-MHz outphasing system, comprising of two Gallium Nitride Class J branch PAs, delivering 44.6 dBm with 75% PAE at saturation, while maintaining PAE above 60% over a 7-dB output power back-off.
AB - Modulation of load impedance is an effective way to maintain efficient power amplifier (PA) operation over high dynamic range modulated signals. For high efficiency, a load modulation approach can be applied to inherently efficient classes of PAs such as those with harmonic tuning: Class J, Class F, and Inverse Class F. This paper presents an analysis of harmonically tuned (HT) amplifiers operating under load modulation conditions, deriving the optimal loading trajectories for these multiple classes of operation. Because these load trajectories are complex, it is then shown-through a series of analysis, simulations, and measurements-that HT amplifiers are better suited for outphasing systems, than conventional amplifiers such as Class B. A design methodology is proposed and validated through design and measurement of a 900-MHz outphasing system, comprising of two Gallium Nitride Class J branch PAs, delivering 44.6 dBm with 75% PAE at saturation, while maintaining PAE above 60% over a 7-dB output power back-off.
KW - Continuous modes of operation
KW - outphasing
U2 - 10.1109/TMTT.2017.2731769
DO - 10.1109/TMTT.2017.2731769
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
SN - 0018-9480
VL - 65
SP - 3596
EP - 3612
JO - IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
JF - IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques
IS - 10
ER -