An Accurate Calibrate-Able Multiharmonic Active Load–Pull System Based on the Envelope Load–Pull Concept

After calibration, since the systematic imperfections of the envelop load-pull (ELP) components were now fully accounted for, the user is able to rapidly set accurate terminations with full Smith chart coverage. This functionality has been achieved by optimizing the hardware configuration of the envelop load-pull concept. Development of a system whose systematic errors could be described by a magnitude invariant error flow model was critical. As a consequence, a robust calibration mechanism, that is analogous to the one-port error correction of a vector network analyzer, was exploited and comprehensively verified. After calibration, since the systematic imperfections of the ELP components were now fully accounted for, the user is able to set accurately terminations with full Smith chart coverage. Finally, measurements on commercially available transistor devices are presented that verify the rapid nature, accuracy, flexibility, reliability, and ease of calibration of the multiharmonic load-pull system.

[1]  Umberto Pisani,et al.  Active load technique for load-pull characterisation at microwave frequencies , 1982 .

[2]  Tudor Vyvyan Williams,et al.  Large-signal multi-tone time domain waveform measurement system with broadband active load impedance control , 2007 .

[3]  Rodney S. Tucker,et al.  Computer-Aided Error Correction of Large-Signal Load-Pull Measurements , 1984 .

[4]  P. J. Tasker,et al.  A novel measurement based method enabling rapid extraction of a RF Waveform Look-Up table based behavioral model , 2008, 2008 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[5]  Y. Takayama A New Load-Pull Characterization Method for Microwave Power Transistors , 1976 .

[6]  J. Benedikt,et al.  Experimental evaluation of an active envelope load pull architecture for high speed device characterization , 2005, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2005..

[7]  Paul J. Tasker,et al.  High power time domain measurement system with active harmonic load-pull for high efficiency base station amplifier design , 2000, IMS 2000.

[8]  J. Benedikt,et al.  Active harmonic load-pull system for characterizing highly mismatched high power transistors , 2005, IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2005..

[9]  J. Benedikt,et al.  Novel Nonlinear Model for Rapid Waveform-based Extraction Enabling Accurate High Power PA Design , 2007, 2007 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[10]  Jan Verspecht,et al.  Time domain harmonic load-pull of an AlGaN/GaN HEMT , 2005, 2005 66th ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference (ARFTG).

[11]  C. Roff,et al.  A new technique for decreasing the characterization time of passive load-pull tuners to maximize measurement throughput , 2008, 2008 72nd ARFTG Microwave Measurement Symposium.

[12]  Andrea Ferrero,et al.  Recent Advances in Real-Time Load-Pull Systems , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

[13]  R.B. Stancliff,et al.  Harmonic Load-Pull , 1979, 1979 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[14]  P. J. Tasker,et al.  Electronic multi-harmonic load-pull system for experimentally driven power amplifier design optimization , 2009, 2009 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[15]  J. Lees,et al.  On the Continuity of High Efficiency Modes in Linear RF Power Amplifiers , 2009, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[16]  Paul J. Tasker,et al.  An automated active source and load pull measurement system , 2001, 6th IEEE High Frequency Postgraduate Colloquium (Cat. No.01TH8574).

[17]  J.M. Nebus,et al.  A novel computerized multiharmonic active load-pull system for the optimization of high efficiency operating classes in power transistors , 1995, Proceedings of 1995 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[18]  Pratibha Mishra,et al.  Advanced Engineering Mathematics , 2013 .

[19]  A. Ferrero,et al.  Recent Improvements in Real-Time Load-Pull Systems , 2006, 2006 IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference Proceedings.