Design of a transistor‐based broadband high‐efficiency class‐F⁻¹ rectifier

Abstract

This brief proposes an innovational method to design a broadband high‐efficiency transistor‐based rectifier with high rectification efficiency. The theory of the class‐F−1 rectifier with the input second harmonic component is explored. Moreover, the mathematical variations of rectification efficiency and load/source impedances versus several crucial design parameters are established. The variation relationships indicate that the rectification efficiency can roughly maintain constant across a large input second harmonic range, resulting in more available design impedances. Thus, this provides the possibility to design wideband rectifiers. For validation, a broadband high‐efficiency class‐F−1 rectifier (operating in 1.6–2.6 GHz) using a GaN transistor is designed, assembled, and measured. Measurements indicate a rectification efficiency of between 72.1% and 82.4% under the condition of Rdc = 67 Ω and Pin = 40 dBm. The realized rectifier exhibits the largest relative bandwidth compared with transistor‐based rectifiers reported before. The methodology presented in this brief provides a promising approach for broadband high‐efficiency GaN HEMT‐based rectifiers.