Digital Predistortion of Millimeter-Wave Hybrid Beamforming Transmitters Using Observation Receivers With Low-Bit Resolution Analog-to-Digital Converter

Abstract

This paper proposes a new digital predistortion (DPD) scheme for linearizing millimeterwave hybrid beamforming transmitters using observation receivers with low-bit resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). To train the DPD function required to compensate for the distortions exhibited by a given sub-array (also called main sub-array), an error signal is produced by out-of-phase combining the main subarray transmitted signal and the one generated by another sub-array (also called auxiliary sub-array) using anti-beamforming modules. The error signal is then frequency down-converted and digitized using a lowbit resolution ADC. Proof-of-concept validation experiments are conducted by applying the proposed DPD system to linearize an off-the-shelf hybrid-beamforming array comprised of four 64-element sub-arrays, operating at 28 GHz and driven with up to 800 MHz orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing modulated signals. Using the proposed DPD scheme, an observation receiver with a 4-bit ADC was sufficient to improve the adjacent channel power ratio by 10 dB and the error vector magnitude was reduced from 5.8% to 1.6%. These results are similar to those obtained using an observation receiver with 16-bit ADC.