Computer‐aided analysis of nonlinear microwave circuits using frequency‐domain nonlinear analysis techniques: The state of the art

Abstract

Frequency-domain nonlinear analysis techniques for the simulation of active microwave circuits solve the linear and nonlinear network equations entirely in the frequency-domain. By so doing, they avoid the aliasing problems inherent in piecewise harmonic balance approaches. Consequently, frequency-domain techniques have extremely wide dynamic range and easily accommodate high order multitone excitation. However, this is at the expense of requiring more restrictive nonlinear device models. There are a large number of frequency-domain nonlinear analysis techniques but all are based on functional expansions which enable the frequency components of the output spectrum to be calculated directly from the input spectrum. These techniques have been used to analyze many nonlinear circuits and are the only candidates for the hierarchical simulation of nonlinear microwave circuits. This paper first uses frequency-domain concepts to discuss nonlinear distortion phenomena, then, a review of the frequency-domain nonlinear analysis literature is made with the aim of presenting the major advances in these techniques.

Steady-State Simulation and Optimization of Class-E Power Amplifiers With Extended Impedance Method

“…The state-space averaging technique allows the transformation of time-varying state equations into their time invariant approximation (expressed in Fourier coefficients), so as to speed up the time-domain simulation [22], [27], [28]. On the other hand, without relying on simulators, the harmonic balance (HB) technique is a more general frequency-domain approach for steady-state analysis [29], [39]- [41]. In HB, the nonlinear state equations are solved by other rapid convergence numerical algorithms [29]; moreover, the analysis is not confined on time-varying problems.…”

Characterization of spectral regrowth in microwave amplifiers based on the nonlinear transformation of a complex Gaussian process

“…A phasor component of the output with radian frequency can be expressed as a sum of intermodulation products , as described in [20], [21] where a set of 's define an intermodulation product and is the intermodulation order. In order to analyze such a problem numerically, the number of output frequency components can be truncated to .…”

Computer-aided design of RF and microwave circuits and systems

“…Initially they were restricted to weakly nonlinear systems, but today, can be used with strongly nonlinear systems with large-signal excitation. The roots of frequency-domain nonlinear analysis techniques are contained in Volterra's theory of functionals (see [29]). The common underlying principle is that the spectrum of the output of a broad class of nonlinear circuits and systems can be calculated directly given the spectrum input to the nonlinear system.…”