A review of recent development on digital transmitters with integrated GaN switch-mode amplifiers

GaN integrated switch-mode power amplifier with high output power, fast and efficient switching characteristic has been considered as a very suitable technology for implementing advanced digital radio transmitter. It is featured of energy-efficient and re-configurable operation. This paper reviews the recently reported works in this promising research topic. Key technical challenges on the device technology, modeling, and circuit designs are summarized. Future development trend is discussed.

[1]  Mustafa Acar,et al.  A radio-frequency reconfigurable CMOS-GaN class-E Chireix power amplifier , 2014, 2014 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS2014).

[2]  Shintaro Shinjo,et al.  High efficiency GaN switching converter IC with bootstrap driver for envelope tracking applications , 2013, 2013 IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium (RFIC).

[3]  Wim Dehaene,et al.  A fully digital PWM-based 1 to 3 GHz multistandard transmitter in 40-nm CMOS , 2013, 2013 IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium (RFIC).

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[6]  J. Scheytt,et al.  A SiGe H-bridge switching amplifier for class-S amplifiers with clock frequencies up to 6 GHz , 2010, German Microwave Conference Digest of Papers.

[7]  Chunjie Duan,et al.  A 5-level discrete-time power encoder with measured coding efficiency of 70% for 20-MHz LTE digital transmitter , 2014, 2014 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS2014).

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[13]  Shintaro Shinjo,et al.  Over 65% PAE GaN voltage-mode class d power amplifier for 465 MHz operation using bootstrap drive , 2015, 2015 IEEE Topical Conference on Power Amplifiers for Wireless and Radio Applications (PAWR).

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[16]  Andreas Wentzel,et al.  A dual-band voltage-mode class-D PA for 0.8/1.8 GHz applications , 2013, 2013 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest (MTT).

[17]  W. Bronner,et al.  High Efficiency Digital GaN MMIC Power Amplifiers for Future Switch-Mode Based Mobile Communication Systems , 2009, 2009 Annual IEEE Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symposium.

[18]  A. Parker,et al.  Characterization of GaN HEMTs for integrated supply modulator , 2014, 2014 IEEE Topical Conference on Power Amplifiers for Wireless and Radio Applications (PAWR).

[19]  Andreas Wentzel,et al.  An 8W GaN-based H-bridge class-D PA for the 900 MHz band enabling ternary coding , 2012, 2012 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest.

[20]  Peter M. Asbeck,et al.  Synergistic design of DSP and power amplifiers for wireless communications , 2000, 2000 Asia-Pacific Microwave Conference. Proceedings (Cat. No.00TH8522).

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