Four-Way Microstrip-Based Power Combining for Microwave Outphasing Power Amplifiers

A lossless multi-way outphasing and power combining system for microwave power amplification is presented. The architecture addresses one of the primary drawbacks of Chireix outphasing; namely, the sub-optimal loading conditions for the branch power amplifiers. In the proposed system, four saturated power amplifiers interact through a lossless power combining network to produce nearly resistive load modulation over a 10:1 range of output powers. This work focuses on two microstrip-based power combiner implementations: a hybrid microstrip/discrete implementation using a combination of microstrip transmission line sections with discrete shunt elements, and an all-microstrip implementation incorporating open-circuited radial stubs. We demonstrate and compare these techniques in a 2.14 GHz power amplifier system. With the all-microstrip implementation, the system demonstrates a peak CW drain efficiency of 70% and drain efficiency of over 60% over a 6.5-dB outphasing output power range with a peak power of over 100 W. We demonstrate W-CDMA modulation with 55.6% average modulated efficiency at 14.1 W average output power for a 9.15-dB peak to average power ratio (PAPR) signal. The performance of this all-microstrip system is compared to that of the proposed hybrid microstrip/discrete version and a previously reported implementation in discrete lumped-element form.Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Integrated Circuits and SystemsMassachusetts Institute of Technology. Microsystems Technology Laboratories. GaN Energy Initiativ

The digital predistorter goes multi-dimensional: DPD for concurrent multi-band envelope tracking and outphasing power amplifiers

Over at least the last two decades, digital predistortion (DPD) has become the most common and widespread solution to cope with the power amplifier's (PA's) inherent linearity-versus-efficiency tradeoff. When compared with other linearization techniques, such as Cartesian feedback or feedforward, DPD has proven able to adapt to the always-growing demands of technology: wider bandwidths, stringent spectrum masks, and reconfigurability. The principles of predistortion linearization (in its analog or digital forms) are straightforward, and the linearization subsystem precedes the PA (a nonlinear function in a digital signal processor in the case of DPD or nonlinear device in the case of analog predistortion and counteracts the nonlinear characteristic of the PA. Some excellent overviews on DPD can be found in [1]-[4]. Let us now look at the challenges that DPD linearization has faced and will continue to face in the near future with 5G new radio (5G-NR).This work has been supported in part by the Spanish Government and FEDER under MICINN projects TEC2017-83343-C4-1-R and TEC2017-83343-C4-2-R and by the Generalitat de Catalunya under Grant 2017 SGR 813

UHF class E/F2 outphasing transmitter for 12 dB PAPR signals

This paper exploits the degree of freedom provided by the continuous class-E modes in order to reduce the impact of a FET on-state resistance when approximating the zero voltage switching (ZVS) operation along a wide range of resistive loads. A UHF class-E/F2 power amplifier (PA), which includes a lumped element drain terminating network to synthesize the optimal load modulation (LM) trajectory, has been designed to maintain an efficiency as high as possible along an output power control range above 10 dB. Based on this PA, an outphasing scheme in the 700 MHz frequency band has been implemented. It is shown to provide an efficiency higher than 60% up to an output power below 5% (-13 dB) of its peak value (47 W). Under mixed-mode operation and applying digital predistorsion (DPD), a 10 MHz LTE signal with a peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) as high as 12.2 dB has been linearly reproduced with average efficiency and PAE values of 46.6% and 42.9%, respectively.This work was supported by Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through TEC2017-83343-C4-1-R project, co-funded with FEDER. D. Vegas also thanks for the BES-2015-072203 grant. The support provided by Prof. P. Gilabert and Prof. G. Montoro, UPC, on the GMP-LUT DPD is highly appreciated

Impacto e compensação da largura de banda vídeo em amplificadores de potência de elevado rendimento

The aim of this work is to determine, quantify and model the performance degradation of wideband power amplifiers when subject to concurrent multiband excitation, with a particular focus on the average efficiency variation. The origins of this degradation are traced to two main transistor properties: the output baseband current generation by the nonlinear transconductance, and the input baseband current generation by the nonlinear gate-source capacitance variation. Each mechanism is analised separately, first by providing a qualitative and intuitive explanation of the processes that lead to the observed efficiency degradation, and then by deriving models that allow the prediction of the average efficiency dependence with the input signal bandwidth. The resulting knowledge was used to improve matching network design, in order to optimize baseband impedance terminations and prevent the efficiency degradation. The derived models were experimentally validated with several PA prototypes implemented with Gallium Nitride HEMT devices, using both conventional and optimized baseband impedance matching networks, achieving over 400MHz instantaneous bandwidth with uncompromised efficiency. The consolidation of the wideband degradation mechanisms described in this work are an important step for modelling and design of wideband, high-efficiency power amplifiers in current and future concurrent multi-band communication systems.O objetivo deste trabalho é determinar, quantificar e modelar a degradação do desempenho de amplificadores de banda-larga quando submetidos a excitação multi-banda concorrente, com particular ênfase na variação do rendimento energético. As origens desta degradação são devidas a duas das principais propriedades do transístor: a geração de corrente em banda-base na saída pela variação não-linear da transcondutância, e a geração de corrente de banda-base na entrada pela variação não-linear da capacidade interna porta-fonte. Cada um destes mecanismos é analisado isoladamente, primeiro por uma explicação qualitativa e intuitiva dos processos que levam à degradação de eficiência observada e, em seguida, através da derivação de modelos que permitem a previsão da degradação do rendimento médio em função da largura de banda do sinal de entrada. O conhecimento resultante foi utilizado para melhorar o desenvolvimento de malhas de adaptação, por forma a otimizar as terminações de impedância em banda-base e prevenir a degradação do rendimento. Os modelos desenvolvidos foram validados experimentalmente em vários amplificadores de potência implementados com transístores de tecnologia GaN HEMT, utilizando malhas de adaptação convencionais e otimizadas, onde se obteve 400MHz de largura de banda instantânea sem degradação do rendimento. A consolidação dos mecanismos de degradação descritos neste trabalho são um importante passo para a modelação e projeto de amplificadores de elevado rendimento e largura-debanda para os sistemas de comunicação multi-banda concorrente convencionais e do futuro.Programa Doutoral em Engenharia Eletrotécnic

Theory and Implementation of RF-Input Outphasing Power Amplification

Conventional outphasing power amplifier systems require both a radio frequency (RF) carrier input and a separate baseband input to synthesize a modulated RF output. This work presents an RF-input/RF-output outphasing power amplifier that directly amplifies a modulated RF input, eliminating the need for multiple costly IQ modulators and baseband signal component separation as in previous outphasing systems. An RF signal decomposition network directly synthesizes the phase- and amplitude-modulated signals used to drive the branch power amplifiers (PAs). With this approach, a modulated RF signal including zero-crossings can be applied to the single RF input port of the outphasing RF amplifier system. The proposed technique is demonstrated at 2.14 GHz in a four-way lossless outphasing amplifier with transmission-line power combiner. The RF decomposition network is implemented using a transmission-line resistance compression network with nonlinear loads designed to provide the necessary amplitude and phase decomposition. The resulting proof-of-concept outphasing power amplifier has a peak CW output power of 93 W, peak drain efficiency of 70%, and performance on par with a previously-demonstrated outphasing and power combining system requiring four IQ modulators and a digital signal component separator

Transmissor RF de elevado rendimento com duas entradas digitais para sistemas 5G

In recent years, there has been a need to increase the capacity and speed of information transmission, so the communication signals used in mobile communications have been improved to meet the expectations. This will be even more significant in future 5G systems, since due to the high expansion of wireless devices, current 4G systems are starting to push their limits, where only small improvements can be achieved. Which complicates the design of transmitters, since these new signals have a wider bandwidth and a large variation between their average and peak value, causing amplifiers to operate most of the time in a zone where they are not as efficient. For this reason, amplifier architectures not only aim to have high efficiency when operating at maximum signal excursion, but also to increase efficiency in the zone where they will operate most of the time. For this purpose, there are architectures based on supply voltage modulation and load modulation to improve the efficiency at lower powers. This work addresses load modulation architectures, where Doherty and Chireix are the most prominent. In addition, with the increase in digital signal processing capabilities, new amplification architectures based on the load modulation technique have recently been proposed, but instead of using only one RF input, they use two independent digitally controlled inputs. This dissertation aims at implementing a Doherty-Chireix amplifier with two digital inputs to achieve efficient amplification for the 1.7 to 2.4GHz frequency band. In the end it was possible to design and implement a Doherty-Chireix power amplifier, with 700MHz bandwidth, with a gain between 13.9-11.3dB, a maximum power of 45dBm, a PAE of over 60% and peak-to-average power ratio between 5.2-4.1dB.Nos últimos anos, tem havido uma necessidade de aumentar a capacidade e velocidade de transmissão de informação, deste modo os sinais de comunicação utilizados nas comunicações móveis têm evoluído por forma a corresponder as expectativas. Tal será ainda mais significativo nos futuros sistemas 5G, já que devido à elevada expansão de dispositivos sem fio, os atuais sistemas 4G estão a começar a atingir os seus limites, onde apenas pequenas melhorias podem ser alcançadas. Isto vem complicar o projeto dos transmissores, uma vez que estes novos sinais apresentam uma maior largura de banda e uma grande variação entre o seu valor médio e de pico, fazendo com que os amplificadores operem na maior parte do tempo numa zona em que não são tão eficientes. Por esta razão, as arquiteturas de amplificação nos dias de hoje não só visam ter um grande rendimento quando operam com a máxima excursão de sinal, mas também o aumento do rendimento na zona onde irão operar a maior parte do tempo. Nesse sentido existem arquiteturas baseadas em modelação de tensão de alimentação e modelação de carga de modo a melhorar a eficiência a potências mais baixas. Neste trabalho são abordadas arquiteturas de modulação de carga, onde Doherty e Chireix são as que mais se destacam. Para além disso, com o aumento da capacidade de processamento digital de sinal, recentemente foram propostas novas arquiteturas de amplificação que se baseiam nestas técnicas, mas em vez de utilizar apenas uma entrada de RF, usam duas entradas independentes controladas digitalmente. Esta dissertação visa a implementação de um amplificador Doherty-Chireix com duas entras digitais de modo a obter uma amplificação eficiente para uma banda de frequências de 1.7 a 2.4GHz. No final foi possível projetar e implementar um amplificador de potência Doherty-Chireix, com 700MHz de largura de banda, com um ganho compreendido entre 13.9-11.3dB, potência máxima de 45dBm, uma PAE superior a 60% e peak-to-average power ratio entre 5.2-4.1dB.Mestrado em Engenharia Eletrónica e Telecomunicaçõe

Advanced High Efficiency Architectures for Next Generation Wireless Communications

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

Linear Operation of Switch-Mode Outphasing Power Amplifiers

Radio transceivers are playing an increasingly important role in modern society. The ”connected” lifestyle has been enabled by modern wireless communications. The demand that has been placed on current wireless and cellular infrastructure requires increased spectral efficiency however this has come at the cost of power efficiency. This work investigates methods of improving wireless transceiver efficiency by enabling more efficient power amplifier architectures, specifically examining the role of switch-mode power amplifiers in macro cell scenarios. Our research focuses on the mechanisms within outphasing power amplifiers which prevent linear amplification. From the analysis it was clear that high power non-linear effects are correctable with currently available techniques however non-linear effects around the zero crossing point are not. As a result signal processing techniques for suppressing and avoiding non-linear operation in low power regions are explored. A novel method of digital pre-distortion is presented, and conventional techniques for linearisation are adapted for the particular needs of the outphasing power amplifier. More unconventional signal processing techniques are presented to aid linearisation of the outphasing power amplifier, both zero crossing and bandwidth expansion reduction methods are designed to avoid operation in nonlinear regions of the amplifiers. In combination with digital pre-distortion the techniques will improve linearisation efforts on outphasing systems with dynamic range and bandwidth constraints respectively. Our collaboration with NXP provided access to a digital outphasing power amplifier, enabling empirical analysis of non-linear behaviour and comparative analysis of behavioural modelling and linearisation efforts. The collaboration resulted in a bench mark for linear wideband operation of a digital outphasing power amplifier. The complimentary linearisation techniques, bandwidth expansion reduction and zero crossing reduction have been evaluated in both simulated and practical outphasing test benches. Initial results are promising and indicate that the benefits they provide are not limited to the outphasing amplifier architecture alone. Overall this thesis presents innovative analysis of the distortion mechanisms of the outphasing power amplifier, highlighting the sensitivity of the system to environmental effects. Practical and novel linearisation techniques are presented, with a focus on enabling wide band operation for modern communications standards