Gain gradients applied to optimization of distributed‐parameter matching circuits for a microwave transistor subject to its potential performance

In this article, a rigorous design procedure is carried out for a microwave amplifier by employing the Feasible Design Space and simple analytical gain gradients of the matching circuits. Physical lengths and characteristic impedances of the transmission lines used in the matching circuits are chosen as the design variables and their lower and upper limits are bounded by the limits of the planar transmission line technology so that resulted microwave amplifier can be realized by this technology. Feasible Design Target Space is determined by the compatible performance [noise (F), input VSWR (V_i), gain (G_T)] triplets and their source Z_S(ω_i) and load Z_L(ω_i) terminations resulted from the performance characterization of the active device. These triplets take into account the physical limitations of the device and realization conditions so that F_req ≥ F_min, V_ireq ≥ 1, G_{T min} ≤ G_{T req} ≤ G_{T max}; and Z_S(ω_i) and Z_L(ω_i) terminations be taken place within the “Unconditionally Stable Working Area”. Design of the amplifier for the compatible performance triplets is reduced to the design of the Z_S(ω_i) and Z_L(ω_i), i = 1…N terminations, which is achieved by the gain optimization of the two passive, reciprocal matching two‐ports using the Darlington theorem. Analytical expressions of the gain gradients of the matching circuits are obtained by the two different methods: (i) chain sensitivity matrix approach; (ii) adjoint network approach. Gain gradients of the L‐, T‐, and Π‐types of distributed‐parameter matching circuits are obtained as worked examples. Then typical design examples are given with together the synthesized, target, simulated characteristics. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2008.     

Gain-sensitivity analysis for cascaded two-ports and application to distributed-parameter amplifiers

Enhancement of a gain-sensitivity analysis of electrical networks is presented by computing gain sensitivities with respect to network parameters. A simple and versatile method. The so-called chain-sensitivity matrix is presented and compared with the current method in the literature, gain factorization, for the gain sensitivities of the cascaded networks. Analytical formulas are derived to calculate gain sensitivities of the T and Π types of distributed-parameter amplifiers with respect to the physical length l and characteristic impedance Z₀, rather than using a time-intensive computer-based perturbation method. The numerical results of the T- and Π-type amplifiers for the design targets of noise figure F_req = 0,46 dB (⇔ 1, 12) input VSWR V_ireq = 1, power gain G_Treq = 12 dB (⇔ 15, 86) and the bandwidth B = 2 GHz − 11 GHz are given in comparison to each other. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 14: 462–474, 2004.     

Sensitivity analysis of the scattering parameters of microwave filters using the adjoint network method

A novel approach is presented to calculate the sensitivities of the scattering parameters of microwave filters obtained with the full‐wave mode‐matching (MM) technique. Using only the MM simulation of the original network, the sensitivities of the scattering parameters with respect to all designable parameters are obtained. The adjoint network method (ANM) is applied to the generalized scattering matrices of the different filter components. This guarantees good accuracy of the calculated sensitivities. The implementation details are discussed for N‐resonator ridge waveguide filters. Excellent agreement is obtained between the sensitivities calculated using ANM and those obtained using the expensive central differences. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2006.     

Gain–bandwidth limitations of microwave transistor

This work enables one to obtain the potential gain (G_T) characteristics with the associated source (Z_S) and load (Z_L) termination functions, depending upon the input mismatching (V_i), noise (F), and the device operation parameters, which are the configuration type (CT), bias conditions (V_DS, I_DS), and operation frequency (f). All these functions can straightforwardly provide the following main properties of the device for use in the design of microwave amplifiers with optimum performance: the extremum gain functions (G_{T max}, G_{T min}) and their associated Z_S, Z_L terminations for the V_i and F couple and the CT, V_DS, I_DS, and f operation parameters of the device point by point; all the compatible performance (F, voltage–standing wave ratio V_i, G_T) triplets within the physical limits of the device, which are F ≥ F_min, V_i ≥ 1, G_{T min} ≤ G_T ≤ G_{T max}, together with their Z_S, Z_L termination functions; and the potential operation frequency bandwidth for a selected performance (F, V_i, G_T) triplet. The selected performance triplet and termination functions can be realized together with their potential operation bandwidth using the novel amplifier design techniques. Many examples are presented for the potential gain characteristics of the chosen low‐noise or ordinary types of transistor. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 12, 483–495, 2002. Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mmce.10049