A monolithic X-band class-E power amplifier

Abstract

1---wave-shapinq ncbrork - Abstract:This paper describes what is believed to be the first successful design and fabrication of a broadband monolithic high efficiency class-E driver amplifier that operates at X-band and employs a 0.3 um x 600 um pHEMT device. The amplifier's measured performance shows a peak Power Added Efficiency (PAE) of 63% at 10.6 GHz and a constant output power of greater than 24 dBm together with a gain of 10 dl3 over 9-1 1 GHz. c i Rlad I. Introduction Low cost, highly efficient, high power, microwave and RF amplifiers are required for many commercial, as well as defense system, applications. These include wireless LANs, wireless cable broadcast transmitters, cellular phones, and telecommunication systems, as well as advanced airborne active phased array radar systems. The majority of these applications are very cost driven, and therefore the choice of technology, design methodology, and manufacturing cycle time are the major cost contributors and should be contained.

A Spectrally pure 5.0 W, High PAE, (6-12 GHz) GaN Monolithic Class E Power Amplifier for Advanced T/R Modules

“…However, for the sake of completeness, the new class-E load circuit is shown in Figure 3. The load offers a superior performance over more than an octave bandwidth (6-12 GHz) when compared with the classical class-E load networks reported in the literature [2][3][4]. Using the time domain simulation capability of ADS [9], the load network is optimized to obtain near ideal class-E current and voltage waveforms over several frequency points.…”

“…class-E, F, etc., are most suitable for the realization of modern airborne phased-array radar systems where prime power is rather limited [1][2][3][4]. This mode of operation, as applicable to microwave power devices (HEMTs), has several important advantages over class-A or class-A/B biasing.…”

A Highly Efficient Broadband (7-14 GHz) Monolithic Class E Power Amplifier for Space Based Radar

“…The concept of switching mode power amplifiers was originally introduced by Sokal [2] and subsequently by the work of Raab [3] who introduced comprehensive design methodologies for a broad family of RF switching mode power amplifiers. However, the first monolithic version of a class-E switching-mode amplifier operating at 835 MHz was reported in 1994 [4], followed by the work of several authors pushing the operating frequency of these circuits to ever-higher frequencies [5][6][7][8], albeit, over a rather limited frequency band.…”

Microwave class-E power amplifiers

“…One of the first reported GaAs class-E X-band PAs is discussed in [5] and a photograph of the single-stage MMIC and its measured performance is shown in Fig.7, showing PAE=65% at a power of 24dBm. MMIC integrated class-E PAs at X-band include an InP two-stage amplifier shown in Fig.8 [6], which had a measured PAE=52% and compared well with the hybrid GaAs version in [6] in terms of efficiency points lost due to the first stage.…”

“…[4] and X-band [5][6][7][8][9][10] with GaAs FETs. MMIC class-E PAs are demonstrated in GaAs [5,15], InP [6], GaN [9] and CMOS [11,16]. In [4], a FLK052WG class-E microstrip PA that delivers 0.61W with a compressed gain of 9.8 dB, a drain efficiency of 81%, and a PAE of 72% at 5GHz is integrated in a spatial combining array.…”