Power amplifier design using GaN HEMT in class-AB mode for LTE communication band

A high power, efficient, linear and thermally stable 5 watts power amplifier design is shown in this paper as a candidate for modern wireless industry. The designed amplifier uses GaN HEMT biased in class-AB mode and operates in LTE communication band (2.110 GHz to 2.170 GHz). Procedure adopted to achieve a realizable and first-pass design is discussed. To improve reliability, a low inductance ground technique incorporating thermal solution is also discussed. For an input signal of 2.14 GHz the amplifier provides a gain of 12.6 dB, output power of 5 watts and reaches drain efficiency of 52.8%. Moreover, linear behavior of the amplifier was tested by measuring carrier to intermodulation ratio by applying a two tone input signal. The fabricated amplifier is a low cost, industry ready design having good gain, efficiency, linearity, output power and thermal reliability.

[1]  G. Gonzalez.  Microwave Transistor Amplifiers: Analysis and Design , 1984 .

[2]  S. C. Cripps,et al.  RF Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communications , 1999 .

[3]  Rui Ma,et al.  A novel concept for first-pass design of RF Power amplifiers for wireless communications , 2011, 2011 IEEE Symposium on Wireless Technology and Applications (ISWTA).

[4]  Ulrich L. Rohde,et al.  Microwave Circuit Design Using Linear and Nonlinear Techniques: Vendelin/Microwave Circuit Design Using Linear and Nonlinear Techniques , 1990 .

[5]  S. Chalermwisutkul,et al.  2.45 GHz GaN HEMT Class-AB RF power amplifier design for wireless communication systems , 2010, ECTI-CON2010: The 2010 ECTI International Confernce on Electrical Engineering/Electronics, Computer, Telecommunications and Information Technology.

[6]  Seri Lee,et al.  cONSTRICTION/SPREADING RESISTANCE MODEL FOR ELECTRONICS PACKAGING , 1996 .

[7]  Lisa Dresner,et al.  Lte And The Evolution To 4g Wireless Design And Measurement Challenges , 2016 .

[8]  C. Weitzel,et al.  RF power amplifiers for wireless communications , 2002, 24th Annual Technical Digest Gallium Arsenide Integrated Circuit (GaAs IC) Symposiu.

[9]  Jose C. Pedro,et al.  Two-tone IMD asymmetry in microwave power amplifiers , 2000, 2000 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest (Cat. No.00CH37017).

[10]  Inder Bahl,et al.  Fundamentals of RF and Microwave Transistor Amplifiers , 2009 .

[11]  V. Rizzoli,et al.  Computation of large-signal S-parameters by harmonic-balance techniques , 1988 .

[12]  K. C. Gupta,et al.  Average power-handling capability of microstrip lines , 1979 .

[13]  Franco Giannini,et al.  High Efficiency RF and Microwave Solid State Power Amplifiers , 2009 .

[14]  Apostolos Georgiadis,et al.  5 Watt GaN HEMT Power Amplifier for LTE , 2014 .

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