Effect of Low Frequency Memory on High Power 12W LDMOS Transistors Intermodulation Distortion

The increasing demand for higher data rates in wireless communication systems has led to the more effective and efficient use of all allocated frequency bands. In order to use the whole bandwidth at maximum efficiency, one needs to have RF power amplifiers with a higher linear level and memory-less performance. This is considered to be a major challenge to circuit designers. In this thesis the linearity and memory are studied and examined via the behavior of the intermodulation distortion (IMD). A major source of the in-band distortion can be shown to be influenced by the out-of-band impedances presented at either the input or the output of the device, especially those impedances terminated the low frequency (IF) components. Thus, in order to regulate the in-band distortion, the out of-band distortion must be controllable. These investigations are performed on a 12W LDMOS device characterised at 2.1 GHz within a purpose built, high-power measurement system.





References:
[1] Carvalho, J.C.P.a.N.B., Intermodulation Distortion in Microwave and
Wireless Circuits. 2003, Norwood,MA: Artech House.
[2] Leung, V.W., et al., Analysis of envelope signal injection for
improvement of RF amplifier intermodulation distortion. Solid-State
Circuits, IEEE Journal of, 2005. 40(9): p. 1888.
[3] Cripps, S.C., RF Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communication. 2006,
Norwood,MA: Artech house.
[4] Vuolevi, J.H.K., T. Rahkonen, and J.P.A. Manninen, Measurement
technique for characterizing memory effects in RF power amplifiers.
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on, 2001. 49(8):
p. 1383-1389.
[5] Bosch, W. and G. Gatti, Measurement and simulation of memory effects
in predistortion linearizers. Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE
Transactions on, 1989. 37(12): p. 1885-1890.
[6] Parker, A.E. and J.G. Rathmell, Bias and frequency dependence of FET
characteristics. Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions
on, 2003. 51(2): p. 588.
[7] Alghanim, A., J. Benedikt, and P. Tasker. A measurement test-set for
characterisation of high power LDMOS transistors including memory
effects. in High Frequency Postgraduate Student Colloquium, 2005.
2005.
[8] Spirito, M., et al., Active harmonic load-pull for on-wafer out-of-band
device linearity optimization. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory
and Techniques, 2006. 54(12): p. 4225.
[9] FocusMicrowave. Active Load Pull Systems: Strengths-Weaknesses-
Alternatives (Online). Cited; Available from: http://www.focusmicrowaves.
com//template.php?unique=232.
[10] Williams, D.J., J. Leckey, and P.J. Tasker. A study of the effect of
envelope impedance on intermodulation asymmetry using a two-tone
time domain measurement system. 2002.
[11] Carvalho, N.B. and J.C. Pedro. Two-tone IMD asymmetry in microwave
power amplifiers. 2000.
[12] Abdulrahman Alghanim, J.L., Tudor Williams, J. Benedikt, and P. J.
Tasker. Reduction of Electrical Baseband Memory Effect in High-Power
LDMOS Devices using Optimum Termination for IMD3 and IMD5 using
Active Load-Pull. in IMS. 2008. Atlanta.