A Discrete‐Amplitude Pulse Width Modulation for a High‐Efficiency Linear Power Amplifier

A new discrete‐amplitude pulse width modulation (DAPWM) scheme for a high‐efficiency linear power amplifier is proposed. A radio frequency (RF) input signal is divided into an envelope and a phase modulated carrier. The low‐frequency envelope is modulated so that it can be represented by a pulse whose area is proportional to its amplitude. The modulated pulse has at least two different pulse amplitude levels in order that the duty ratios of the pulse are kept large for small input. Then, an RF pulse train is generated by mixing the modulated envelope with the phase modulated carrier. The RF pulse train is amplified by a switching‐mode power amplifier, and the original RF input signal is restored by a band pass filter. Because duty ratios of the RF pulse train are kept large in spite of a small input envelope, the DAPWM technique can reduce loss from harmonic components. Furthermore, it reduces filtering efforts required to suppress harmonic components. Simulations show that the overall efficiency of the pulsed power amplifier with DAPWM is about 60.3% for a mobile WiMax signal. This is approximately a 73% increase compared to a pulsed power amplifier with PWM.     

High-Efficiency Envelope-Tracking W-CDMA Base-Station Amplifier Using GaN HFETs

A high-efficiency wideband code-division multiple-access (W-CDMA) base-station amplifier is presented using high-performance GaN heterostructure field-effect transistors to achieve high gain and efficiency with good linearity. For high efficiency, class J/E operation was employed, which can attain up to 80% efficiency over a wide range of input powers and power supply voltages. For nonconstant envelope input, the average efficiency is further increased by employing the envelope-tracking architecture using a wide-bandwidth high-efficiency envelope amplifier. The linearity of overall system is enhanced by digital pre-distortion. The measured average power-added efficiency of the amplifier is as high as 50.7% for a W-CDMA modulated signal with peak-to-average power ratio of 7.67 dB at an average output power of 37.2 W and gain of 10.0 dB. We believe that this corresponds to the best efficiency performance among reported base-station power amplifiers for W-CDMA. The measured error vector magnitude is as low as 1.74% with adjacent channel leakage ratio of -51.0 dBc at an offset frequency of 5 MHz     

X-band fully depleted SOI Amplifier with adaptive bias control

A 10-GHz amplifier with an adaptive bias control circuit is realized using fully depleted SOI CMOS technology. The effective gate bias of the amplifier MOSFET adjusts itself based on the power level of the input signal. Measured results showed reduction of overall power consumption and wider range of output power near its peak efficiency. At absence of the signal, the amplifier can be automatically switched to a standby mode with approximately 85% reduction of power consumption. Power saving is also demonstrated for pulsed signal modulated at 10 MHz.     

A Class‐D Amplifier for a Digital Hearing Aid with 0.015% Total Harmonic Distortion Plus Noise

A class‐D audio amplifier for a digital hearing aid is described. The class‐D amplifier operates with a pulsecode modulated (PCM) digital input and consists of an interpolation filter, a digital sigma‐delta modulator (SDM), and an analog SDM, along with an H‐bridge power switch. The noise of the power switch is suppressed by feeding it back to the input of the analog SDM. The interpolation filter removes the unwanted image tones of the PCM input, improving the linearity and power efficiency. The class‐D amplifier is implemented in a 0.13‐μm CMOS process. The maximum output power delivered to the receiver (speaker) is 1.19 mW. The measured total harmonic distortion plus noise is 0.015%, and the dynamic range is 86.0 dB. The class‐D amplifier consumes 304 μW from a 1.2‐V power supply.     

防破音D类音频功放的设计与应用

随着多媒体便携设备的普及,音频功放已经成为音频部分的标准配置,D类功放以其高品质高效的特点得到了越来越广泛的应用。在便携产品中,音频功放由于输入音乐信号过大或者电源电压过低,会产生削顶失真。采用防破音技术,可以通过自动增益调节技术来提供一个完美的解决方案。文章介绍了常见的防破音技术,提出了一种改进的AGC(自动增益控制)技术在D类功放中的设计与应用。改进的AGC技术通过对PWM输出的采样来判断失真程度,依据失真程度用防破音电路产生的PWM波形来自动调节运放增益,实现最大功率的无失真输出。     

一款X波段高效率GaN负载调制平衡放大器MMIC

报道了一款采用0.25μm GaN HEMT工艺的X波段高效率负载调制平衡放大器芯片。该芯片由两个射频端口的90°Lange耦合器,一对平衡功率放大器和一个控制信号功率放大器组成。通过改变同频率处控制信号的幅度与相位去调制平衡功率放大器的阻抗。在连续波测试条件下,该负载调制平衡放大器芯片在8~11 GHz范围内,最大输出功率为42.5 dBm,饱和效率为45%~55%,当输出功率回退6 dB时,效率为40%~45%。     

Power-amplifier characterization using a two-tone measurementtechnique

An accurate nonlinear model is necessary to optimize the tradeoff between efficiency and linearity in power amplifiers. Gain compression (AM/AM) and amplitude-phase (AM/PM) distortion are the two primary model inputs used to characterize the nonlinearity. The amplifier's AM/AM and AM/PM characteristics are typically measured statically using a vector network analyzer. Since the input is typically a modulated signal, it is desirable to characterize the amplifier dynamically. This paper describes and demonstrates a dynamic AM/AM and AM/PM measurement and modeling technique involving a spectrum analyzer and two-tone input signals. A complete analysis of the measurement technique is presented, along with the data processing needed for the identification of a new three-box model. The test configuration and procedure are presented with special precautions to minimize measurement error. Results for a solid-state amplifier are used to accurately predict intermodulation distortion, while those for a traveling-wave tube amplifier show good agreement with that obtained dynamically using a 16 quadrature-amplitude-modulation signal     

Understanding linearity in wireless communication amplifiers

This paper investigates the linearity of active devices and amplifiers that have modulated input signals. We describe an implementation of a mathematical technique for calculating spectral regrowth due to the nonlinear amplification of modulated signals typically used in wireless communication systems. This technique only requires knowledge of the single-tone gain and phase data as a function of input power and can be applied to any modulated signal given (a) the device or amplifier characteristics do not change significantly over the bandwidth of the input signal and (b) the modulation frequencies are much less than the carrier frequency. Verification of the mathematical technique is presented using examples of measured and calculated spectra for π/4-differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK) personal handy phone system (PHS) and code division multiple access (CDMA) Offset-QPSK personal communication system (PCS) modulation schemes. This calculation technique is essential in determining fundamental tradeoffs between device performance (linearity, output power, gain, and power-added efficiency) and device bias conditions and load impedance     

高效率线性RF功放的研究与设计

应用EER(Envelope Elimination and Restoration)线性功放技术和高效率D类音频放大技术,实现了一个高效率线性RF功率放大器。该线性放大器为AM调制,7MHz时效率优于75％。     

澄清关于有线电视放大器的几种模糊认识

目前有线电视技术人员对有线电视放大器的模糊认识主要有：放大器的增益可以调节；放大器的非线性失真只与输出电平有关，与输入电平无关；放大器也能放大模糊的电视信号；放大器倾斜输出能改善有线电视系统的CTB指标。对此，经过分析加以澄清，帮助从业人员正确做好放大器的调试、选用与更换工作，确保有线电视网络质量。     

一种温度不敏感的高线性功率放大器

设计了一种温度不灵敏的高线性度的射频功率放大器芯片,采用新颖的带温度反馈环路的有源片上自适应偏置电路,该电路降低了温度引起的放大器集电极直流电流分量的变化量,补偿了由温度变化而引起的性能偏差,进而有效提高了放大器的线性度。基于这个温度不灵敏的偏置结构采用InGaP/GaAs HBT工艺设计了一个工作在2110~2170 MHz频段的功率放大器。测试结果表明,该功放在工作频段内的增益大于等于35.3 dB;在中心频率2140 MHz处,1 dB功率压缩点大于33 dBm,功率附加效率在输出功率24.5 dBm时为18%;使用LTE_FDD调制信号,获得邻信道功率比为-47 dBc。在环境温度为-40℃、+25℃和+80℃条件下,功放的增益平坦度较好,增益变化量小于1.5 dB,输出级集电极电流基本不变,有效降低了功放对温度的敏感性。     

An adaptation procedure on envelope statistics for predistorter designs based on statistical modeling methods

There have long been some experiment findings that the behavior of a power amplifier (PA) to digitally modulated stimuli depends on its input statistics. Correspondingly, there have been efforts in characterizing PA behaviors and, more recently, in designing amplifier linearization devices by including the information of envelope statistics or using statistical methods. Superior performance have been reported for resultant linearizer designs compared with similar designs based on conventional approaches. In this brief, an adaptation procedure on envelope statistics will be introduced that can further improve the performance of any predistorter design derived from a statistical amplifier model, or more generally, derived from the sample data sets of the input and the output of the PA.     

一种非线性元件实现线性放大的改进技术与仿真

提出了一种改进的非线性元件实现线性放大（Linear Amplifier Using Nonlinear Components,LINC）理论,将幅度和相位均有变化的射频信号分离成包络信号和恒包络角调信号,将包络信号分两路反相调制到后者的相位中,对两路调制后的恒包络信号进行变频放大,通过减法电路得到放大后的上变频输入射频信号.因为恒幅信号可以在放大器的非线性区放大而不失真,提高了整体效率高.推导出其电压增益为KG/Em,并对不同频率和幅度进行了仿真,仿真结果表明实现了理论分析预期的放大效果.     

High Average-Efficiency Multimode RF Transmitter Using a Hybrid Quadrature Polar Modulator

This paper presents a hybrid quadrature polar modulator (HQPM) to drive the power amplifier (PA) highly efficiently in a wireless RF transmitter required for multimode operation. For enhancing the transmit efficiency, a switching-mode PA realized as Class-E design is used in the transmitter. The HQPM consists of a quadrature modulator for processing the RF modulated carrier and a Class-S modulator for processing the supply-voltage signal. The quadrature modulator and the Class-S modulator deliver the output signals with proportional envelope variation before being inserted into the RF-input terminal and the supply-voltage terminal of a Class-E PA, respectively, causing the double envelope modulation to distort the modulated RF signal at the PA output. Therefore, a digital predistorter is embedded in the HQPM for compensation. The proposed HQPM-based transmitter can help reducing the average dc and input RF powers and the output feedthrough levels so as to enhance power added efficiency and adjacent channel power rejection remarkably.     

The class BD high-efficiency RF power amplifier

Class B and class D operation of the same RF power amplifier circuit is not normally possible because of constraints imposed by the tuned output circuit and DC power input circuit. The use of square-wave drive in a current switching class D RF amplifier circuit allows the amplifier to move gradually from current source to current switch operation. This amplifier, called class BD, has a linear transfer characteristic (drive envelope to output envelope) and an efficiency 1.23 times that of a class B RF amplifier with the same peak output. The addition of a resistive AC current path to ground in the DC power input circuit of the class BD RF amplifier allows operation with sinewave driving waveforms. While this lowers the efficiency at the peak output, it can raise it at lower outputs, making possible a factor of 1.57 improvement in efficiency in the amplification of signals with large peak-to-average ratios. The class BD RF amplifier may therefore be used as a broad-band replacement for a Doherty-type amplifier.     

Linearised InGaP/GaAs HBT MMIC power amplifier with active biascircuit for W-CDMA application

A high linearity InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier is demonstrated using a new structure for a bias circuit for wideband-code division multiple access (W-CDMA) application. A one shunt capacitor is added to a novel active bias circuit and acts as a lineariser improving input P_{1 dB} of 16 dB and phase distortion of 5.1° for the hybrid phase shift keying (HPSK) modulated signal at the 28 dBm output power; the lineariser showing no significant increase of signal loss and chip area. The two-stage HBT MMIC amplifier exhibits a power-added efficiency (PAE) of 37%, a linear power gain of 24.5 dB, and an output power of 28 dBm with an adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) of -45 dBc, under a 3 V operation voltage     

Linearisation of asymmetrical Doherty amplifier by the even-order non-linear signals

This paper considers the linearisation of an asymmetrical two-way Doherty amplifier by the method that uses the second harmonics and fourth-order non-linear signals for linearisation. These even-order signals for linearisation are extracted at the output of the peaking amplifier, adjusted in amplitude and phase and injected at the input and output of the carrier amplifier transistor in the Doherty configuration. The effect of linearisation has been experimentally confirmed on a fabricated asymmetrical Doherty amplifier with the additional circuit for linearisation. The suppression of the third-order intermodulation products has been carried out for two-tone test, 64QAM and WCDMA digitally modulated signals in a range of signal power.     

负载牵引法在开关类功率放大器设计中的应用

为提高开关类功率放大器设计的准确性,找出功放管的最优输出阻抗值,采用负载牵引法设计开关类功率放大器,得到最佳输出阻抗值,然后设计输出及输入匹配网络及谐波抑制网络,仿真结果输入功率为28dBm时,功率附加效率达到69．352％,表明功率负载牵引方法为改进开关类放大器设计,优化开关类功放管性能提供了快速而有效的方法,提高了大信号下模型的准确性。     

High-frequency pulse rise in slightly detuned synchronous single-circuit amplifiers

The note contains the computation of the envelope, phase angle and instantaneous frequency response of a high-frequency signal, modulated by a unit step, applied to the input of a multistage synchronous single-circuit amplifier. The general formulas and numerical results obtained by the use of a digital computer are given for the case of detuning the resonance frequency of the amplifier from the signal frequency by the halfbandwidth of the halfpower points.     

5 Gbit/s, +10 dBm lossless transmission in 10 km distributed erbium fibre amplifier

The first data transmission over a distributed erbium-doped fibre amplifier is reported. A +10 dBm input signal, intensity modulated at 5 Gbit/s has been transmitted without loss or distortion over a 10 km fibre, pumped with a total of 50 mW pump power at 1485 nm.<>