Designing High Efficiency RF Power Amplifiers

Course 148

San Diego, CA	Feb 28-Mar 02, 2011
Course 148-4337	Presented by Ed Niehenke
Register by 1/24/2011 and pay $1395, otherwise pay $1495

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Summary:

This three-day course presents the latest design techniques for high efficiency power amplifiers. The power amplifier's non-linearities and their effect on system performance will be shown for various classes of power amplification and for numerous digital and analog signals including optimum transistor selection. Amplifier distortion techniques for high efficiency will be investigated will full and reduced output power. CAD analysis for high efficiency and yield for BJT, and FET power amplifiers will be presented.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completing the course, the participant will be able to:

• Describe various transistors and modulators, along with their effects on power amplifiers.
• List selection criteria for determining optimum tune and non-tuned load.
• Improve power amplifier efficiency using Doherty, Chireix and other techniques.
• Use CAD to model BJT/HBT, FET/PHEMT power amplifiers and design them for high efficiency and yield.
• Apply a variety of linearization techniques (such as RF feedback, feedforward, and pre-distortion) to reduce distortion in power amplifiers.

Target Audience:

Design engineers and technicians working with any kind of RF power amplifier at the component or system level will benefit from this course, as will semiconductor technologists working on RF and microwave device development. A background in RF design basics like Besser Associates' "Applied RF Techniques I" is recommended as a prerequisite.

Outline:

Day One

Digital and Analog Input Signals, Modulators
Power Amplifier Requirements
Selection Criteria for Transistors
Power Amplifier Efficiency (PldB and PAE)
Load Pull Measurement Techniques
• Gain and power match • Cripps method for predicting performance
Power Amplifier Design
• Load line selection • RF and power • Efficiency and PAE
Design techniques and circuits for classes A, AB, B, C, D, E and F
Illustrative Examples

Day Two

Power Combining
• Quadrature, in phase, serial, push-pull, cluster matched
Cluster Matching Design Example
Amplifier Nonlinear Effects
• AM/AM, AM/PM, harmonic generation, intermodulation distortion, blocking, cross modulation, reciprocal mixing
Efficiency Enhancement Under Reduced Power
• Doherty • Chireix • Envelope tracking • Adaptive biasing techniques • Kahn
Distortion Reduction Techniques
• Feedback • Predistortion • Feedforward

Day Three

CAD Analysis of Nonlinear Circuits
• Time domain (SPICE) • Harmonic balance • Circuit envelope
Varactor and Schottky Barrier Diode Two-Terminal Non-linearity
• I-V, C-V, and C-I
Nonlinear Bipolar Models
• CAD BJT Power Amplifier Design Example
Nonlinear FET Model
• CAD FET power amplifier design example
Conclusions

Subject Areas Covered

RF Power Amplifier Design

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