Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity

Donald Y.C. Lie; Jeremy D. Popp; Patrick Lee; Annie H. Yang; Jason F. Rowland; F. Wang; Don Kimball

doi:10.1109/VDAT.2006.258128

Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity

Donald Y.C. Lie, Jeremy D. Popp, Patrick Lee, Annie H. Yang, Jason F. Rowland, F. Wang, Don Kimball

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper discusses and compares the design of monolithic RF broadband Class E SiGe power amplifiers (PAs) centered at 900MHz that are highly efficient and linear. It is found that high power-added-efficiency (∼65%) can be achieved with PAs designed using either high-breakdown or high-f_T SiGe transistors. The PAs designed with high-breakdown devices can provide ∼3% better efficiency at higher supply voltages but with worse bias sensitivity, inferior broadband frequency response, and slightly lower gain than those designed with high-f_T devices. However, the Class E PAs designed using high-breakdown devices can be successfully linearized using an open-loop envelope tracking (ET) technique as their output spectra pass the stringent EDGE transmit mask with margins, achieving an overall system PAE of 44.4% that surpasses the ∼30% PAE obtainable using commercial GaAs Class AB PAs. These promising results indicate the feasibility of realizing true single-chip wireless transceivers with on-chip RF SiGe PAs for spectrally-efficient non-constant-envelope modulation schemes.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers
Pages	79-82
Number of pages	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/VDAT.2006.258128
State	Published - 2007
Event	2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Hsinchu, Taiwan, Province of China Duration: Apr 26 2007 → Apr 28 2007

Publication series

Name	2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers

Conference

Conference	2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006
Country	Taiwan, Province of China
City	Hsinchu
Period	04/26/07 → 04/28/07

Access to Document

10.1109/VDAT.2006.258128

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Lie, D. Y. C., Popp, J. D., Lee, P., Yang, A. H., Rowland, J. F., Wang, F., & Kimball, D. (2007). Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity. In 2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers (pp. 79-82). [4027500] (2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers). https://doi.org/10.1109/VDAT.2006.258128

Lie, Donald Y.C. ; Popp, Jeremy D. ; Lee, Patrick ; Yang, Annie H. ; Rowland, Jason F. ; Wang, F. ; Kimball, Don. / Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity. 2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers. 2007. pp. 79-82 (2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers).

@inproceedings{dddff1b6c3ba45cead0134346c6c13e3,

title = "Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity",

abstract = "This paper discusses and compares the design of monolithic RF broadband Class E SiGe power amplifiers (PAs) centered at 900MHz that are highly efficient and linear. It is found that high power-added-efficiency (∼65%) can be achieved with PAs designed using either high-breakdown or high-fT SiGe transistors. The PAs designed with high-breakdown devices can provide ∼3% better efficiency at higher supply voltages but with worse bias sensitivity, inferior broadband frequency response, and slightly lower gain than those designed with high-fT devices. However, the Class E PAs designed using high-breakdown devices can be successfully linearized using an open-loop envelope tracking (ET) technique as their output spectra pass the stringent EDGE transmit mask with margins, achieving an overall system PAE of 44.4% that surpasses the ∼30% PAE obtainable using commercial GaAs Class AB PAs. These promising results indicate the feasibility of realizing true single-chip wireless transceivers with on-chip RF SiGe PAs for spectrally-efficient non-constant-envelope modulation schemes.",

author = "Lie, {Donald Y.C.} and Popp, {Jeremy D.} and Patrick Lee and Yang, {Annie H.} and Rowland, {Jason F.} and F. Wang and Don Kimball",

year = "2007",

doi = "10.1109/VDAT.2006.258128",

language = "English",

isbn = "1424401798",

series = "2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers",

pages = "79--82",

booktitle = "2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers",

}

Lie, DYC, Popp, JD, Lee, P, Yang, AH, Rowland, JF, Wang, F & Kimball, D 2007, Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity. in 2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers., 4027500, 2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers, pp. 79-82, 2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Province of China, 04/26/07. https://doi.org/10.1109/VDAT.2006.258128

Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity. / Lie, Donald Y.C.; Popp, Jeremy D.; Lee, Patrick; Yang, Annie H.; Rowland, Jason F.; Wang, F.; Kimball, Don.

2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers. 2007. p. 79-82 4027500 (2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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AU - Rowland, Jason F.

AU - Wang, F.

AU - Kimball, Don

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N2 - This paper discusses and compares the design of monolithic RF broadband Class E SiGe power amplifiers (PAs) centered at 900MHz that are highly efficient and linear. It is found that high power-added-efficiency (∼65%) can be achieved with PAs designed using either high-breakdown or high-fT SiGe transistors. The PAs designed with high-breakdown devices can provide ∼3% better efficiency at higher supply voltages but with worse bias sensitivity, inferior broadband frequency response, and slightly lower gain than those designed with high-fT devices. However, the Class E PAs designed using high-breakdown devices can be successfully linearized using an open-loop envelope tracking (ET) technique as their output spectra pass the stringent EDGE transmit mask with margins, achieving an overall system PAE of 44.4% that surpasses the ∼30% PAE obtainable using commercial GaAs Class AB PAs. These promising results indicate the feasibility of realizing true single-chip wireless transceivers with on-chip RF SiGe PAs for spectrally-efficient non-constant-envelope modulation schemes.

AB - This paper discusses and compares the design of monolithic RF broadband Class E SiGe power amplifiers (PAs) centered at 900MHz that are highly efficient and linear. It is found that high power-added-efficiency (∼65%) can be achieved with PAs designed using either high-breakdown or high-fT SiGe transistors. The PAs designed with high-breakdown devices can provide ∼3% better efficiency at higher supply voltages but with worse bias sensitivity, inferior broadband frequency response, and slightly lower gain than those designed with high-fT devices. However, the Class E PAs designed using high-breakdown devices can be successfully linearized using an open-loop envelope tracking (ET) technique as their output spectra pass the stringent EDGE transmit mask with margins, achieving an overall system PAE of 44.4% that surpasses the ∼30% PAE obtainable using commercial GaAs Class AB PAs. These promising results indicate the feasibility of realizing true single-chip wireless transceivers with on-chip RF SiGe PAs for spectrally-efficient non-constant-envelope modulation schemes.

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Lie DYC, Popp JD, Lee P, Yang AH, Rowland JF, Wang F et al. Monolithic class e SiGe power amplifier design with wideband high-efficiency and linearity. In 2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers. 2007. p. 79-82. 4027500. (2006 International Symposium on VLSI Design, Automation and Test, VLSI-DAT 2006 - Proceedings of Technical Papers). https://doi.org/10.1109/VDAT.2006.258128