Performance Analysis of Power Amplifier Back-off Levels in UWB Transmitters

This paper focuses on the interplay between data throughput and battery duration in UWB units, both of which the most perceptible at the user´ level. The potential benefits of enlarging the power amplifier back-off (linearity) are assessed for different channel conditions according to a communication system following the IEEE 802.15.3a standard (MB-OFDM proposal). New performance results are presented which highlight the kinds of channels where an increase in transmit linearity (power amplifier back-off enlargement) yields increased data throughput, and those where it does not. Results show whether designs sacrificing power efficiency have a benefit in data rate increase or it is simply a power spoil (ineffective reduction of battery´s time-of-life).