An X-band high-efficiency MMIC power amplifier with 20-dB return losses

Author

Le, Huy Minh ; Shih, Yi-Chi ; Hwang, Vincent D. ; Chi, Tom Y. ; Kasel, Karl J. ; Wang, David C.

Author_Institution

Hughes Aircraft Co., Torrance, CA, USA

Volume

26

Issue

10

fYear

1991

fDate

10/1/1991 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1383

Lastpage

1389

Abstract

Describes the design principles and measured performance of an X-band high-efficiency monolithic-microwave-integrated-circuit (MMIC) power amplifier and discuss pertinent factors of the ion-implantation process. Also presented is a worst-case power prediction of the chip performance and a large-signal design using small-signal simulation. This balanced amplifier is fully monolithic with input and output return losses of better than 20 dB provided by Lange couplers. These return losses make it very convenient to cascade with other components. For high-efficiency operation, the drain voltage is 6 V. Across the 40% bandwidth from 8 to 12 GHz, the amplifier produces 1.6 to 2.1 W of output power at 33 to 40% power-added efficiency. For high-power operation, the drain voltage is 8.5 V. The amplifier can produce 2.4 to 2.8 W of output power at 26 to 29% power-added efficiency across the same 40% bandwidth

Keywords

MMIC; integrated circuit technology; ion implantation; microwave amplifiers; power amplifiers; 1.6 to 2.1 W; 20 dB; 24 to 28 W; 26 to 29 percent; 33 to 40 percent; 8 to 12 GHz; Lange couplers; MMIC power amplifier; X-band; drain voltage; ion-implantation process; large-signal design; return losses; small-signal simulation; Bandwidth; High power amplifiers; MMICs; Operational amplifiers; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Power measurement; Predictive models; Semiconductor device measurement; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9200

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/4.90091

Filename

90091