Broadband GaN Class-E Power Amplifier for Load Modulated Delta Sigma and 5G Transmitter Applications

The paper presents a design of a broadband high-efficiency class-E power amplifier (PA) for the advanced efficiency enhancement architectures applications. A sequential load pull methodology to design broadband class-E power amplifiers using a packaged gallium nitride power transistor is presented. Two different broadband matching synthesis techniques have been proposed using lumped elements have been presented and implemented in the manuscript. A fourth-order low-pass impedance transformation topology is designed as the output matching network to provide the optimum load reflection coefficients in the targeted bandwidth (1.8–2.7 GHz). A combination of input and output matching network has been proposed in the manuscript to satisfy the given fractional bandwidth requirements. For practical validation, a Wolfspeed (Cree) CGH40025 package transistor has been used. Under continuous wave test condition the fabricated PA showed more than 50% power added efficiency (PAE) with up to 29 W output power for 40% fractional bandwidth from 1.8–2.7 GHz. Furthermore, the proposed broadband Class E PA is deployed in efficiency enhancement architecture like delta-sigma modulation based transmitters. The PA shows more than 48% PAE all over the frequency band when driven with a delta-sigma modulated LTE downlink signal while maintaining high signal quality and PA reliability.

[1]  Mohamed Helaoui,et al.  Effect of the class of switching-mode power amplifiers on the efficiency of band-pass delta-sigma architectures , 2011, 2011 6th European Microwave Integrated Circuit Conference.

[2]  Fadhel M. Ghannouchi,et al.  Improving Coding Efficiency by compromising linearity in delta-sigma based transmitters , 2012, 2012 IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium.

[3]  Fadhel M. Ghannouchi,et al.  Enhanced architecture for microwave currentmode class-D amplifiers applied to the design of an S-band GaN-based power amplifier , 2009 .

[4]  G. Matthaei.  Tables of Chebyshev impedance–transforming networks of low-pass filter form , 1964 .

[5]  Tushar Sharma,et al.  Generalized Continuous Class-F Harmonic Tuned Power Amplifiers , 2016, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[6]  Fadhel M. Ghannouchi,et al.  Design methodology of high-efficiency contiguous mode harmonically tuned power amplifiers , 2016, 2016 IEEE Radio and Wireless Symposium (RWS).

[7]  Tushar Sharma,et al.  Harmonically engineered and efficiency enhanced power amplifier design for P3dB/back-off applications , 2017, 2017 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS).

[8]  W. Bachtold,et al.  Lumped-element load-network design for class-E power amplifiers , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[9]  D. Peroulis,et al.  Design of Highly Efficient Broadband Class-E Power Amplifier Using Synthesized Low-Pass Matching Networks , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[10]  Fadhel M. Ghannouchi,et al.  A Methodology for Implementation of High-Efficiency Broadband Power Amplifiers With Second-Harmonic Manipulation , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs.

[11]  Hong-Yeh Chang,et al.  A High Efficiency Broadband Class-E Power Amplifier Using a Reactance Compensation Technique , 2010, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[12]  M. P. van der Heijden,et al.  A compact 12-watt high-efficiency 2.1-2.7 GHz class-E GaN HEMT power amplifier for base stations , 2009, 2009 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[13]  Steve C. Cripps,et al.  Advanced Techniques in RF Power Amplifier Design , 2002 .

[14]  No Sokal,et al.  CLASS-E - NEW CLASS OF HIGH-EFFICIENCY TUNED SINGLE-ENDED SWITCHING POWER AMPLIFIERS , 1975 .

[15]  Fadhel M. Ghannouchi,et al.  High-Efficiency Input and Output Harmonically Engineered Power Amplifiers , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[16]  Fadhel M. Ghannouchi,et al.  Generalized design of continuous‐mode second harmonic tuned amplifiers , 2016 .

[17]  F.J. Ortega-Gonzalez.  Load–Pull Wideband Class-E Amplifier , 2007, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[18]  Georg Boeck,et al.  Broadband GaN switch mode class E power amplifier for UHF applications , 2009, 2009 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[19]  F. Raab.  Class-E, Class-C, and Class-F power amplifiers based upon a finite number of harmonics , 2001 .