Direct ${E}$ -Field Measurement and Imaging of Oscillations Within Power Amplifiers

Abstract

We present for the first time a measurement system that is capable of directly detecting and identifying the physical location of an oscillation within RF and microwave power amplifiers. The method uses a combined external electrooptic, non-linear vector network analyzer, and vector load-pull measurement system, which allows the measurement of crossfrequency phase-coherent multi-harmonic vector electric fields above the transistor with an 8 µm spatial resolution and 20 MHz-40 GHz bandwidth. Raster scans above the amplifier allow the time-domain electric fields to be animated and superimposed on top of the amplifier image enabling immediate identification of any oscillations by direct inspection. The method is first demonstrated on a low power amplifier composed of two parallel 0.1-W pHEMT transistors that is intentionally designed to have an odd-mode oscillation. The applicability of the method is further demonstrated by measuring and animating in-package parametric odd-mode oscillations within a 260-W laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor operating at 2.2 GHz under pulsed RF conditions with 10 µs pulses and 10% duty cycle. The measurement and identification technique is applicable to all semiconductor devices as the external electric field is non-invasively measured above the amplifier.

ESD Improvements on Power N-Channel LDMOS Devices by the Composite Structure of Super Junctions Integrated With SCRs in the Drain Side

“…INTRODUCTION 1 ECENTLY, power integrated components in the power system or module integrations have gained attention. High voltage (HV) lateral-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (LDMOS) components are often used in smart power ICs, such as switching power supplies, automotive electronics, RF power amplifiers, mobile telecommunications, LED drivers, and LCD displays [1]- [16]. For a high operating-voltage requirement, this power component requires a favorable range of reliability ability.…”