Integrated-antenna push-pull power amplifiers

Abstract

In this paper, the integrated-antenna concept is applied to push-pull power amplifiers (PA's). In this approach, the antenna serves as an out-of-phase power combiner and tuned load for higher harmonics. This new architecture effectively has a near-zero loss output hybrid, and results in a high-efficiency PA. The first example is a narrow-band push-pull amplifier integrated with a dual-feed patch antenna. At an operating frequency of 2.5 GHz, a maximum measured power-added efficiency (PAE) of 55% is achieved. The second example is a broadband push-pull amplifier integrated with a dual-feed slot antenna amplifier operating at 2.46 GHz has a peak PAE of 63%, and PAE is better than 55% in an 8% bandwidth. Additionally, 48% PAE is achieved with code-division multiple-access modulation and adjacent-channel power ratio better than 042 dBc at a 1.25-MHz offset.

Four-way power combining integrated antenna

“…In both cases, and similar to the proposed antenna (Fig 1(a)), the ports have the same level of excitation but with alternating polarity and this establishes a resonance mode in the length-wise direction of 3λ g /2 for the previous 4-port antenna (Fig 2(a)) and λ g /2 for the pair of patches (Fig 2(b)). The excitation of the patches in Fig 2(b) is similar to that of other active integrated antennas [2] - [5].…”

“…This demonstrates that 4-way power combining takes place on the antenna. In the case of the pair of patches, each patch provides two way combining [2] and 4-way combining occurs in space. Therefore, the proposed 4-port antenna would be more tolerant to transistor mismatches than the pair of patches.…”

“…Most realizations, however, have only considered 2-way power combining [2] - [5]. The author has recently proposed a 4-port microstrip patch integrated antenna that allowed 4-way combining [6].…”

“…It has been demonstrated that the integrated antenna can also be used to combine power [2] - [6]. Most realizations, however, have only considered 2-way power combining [2] - [5].…”

Wafer level integration of a 24 GHz differential SiGe-MMIC oscillator with a patch antenna using BCB as a dielectric layer

“…The patch antenna used here is designed to be driven differentially from one side by the SiGe-MMIC oscillator. A differentially driven patch antenna connected from opposite sides is presented in [5].…”