Fully-integrated highly-efficient RF Class E SiGe power amplifier with an envelope-tracking technique for EDGE applications

Author

Popp, Jeremy ; Lie, Donald Y C ; Wang, Feipeng ; Kimball, Donald ; Larson, Lawrence

Author_Institution

Space & Naval Warfare Syst. Center, San Diego, CA, USA

fYear

2006

Firstpage

231

Lastpage

234

Abstract

This paper reports on the results of a highly efficient monolithically fully-integrated SiGe Class E power amplifier using envelope tracking techniques for EDGE applications. The envelope-tracking (ET) system includes a discrete linear op-amp and a switching power converter. The RF Class E amplifier was fabricated in a 0.18 μm BiCMOS SiGe technology. The RF Class E power amplifier achieved a collector efficiency (CE) of 62.7% and the overall power added efficiency (PAE) of the ET system is 44.4% at an output power of 20.4 dBm for an 881 MHz EDGE modulated signal. A discrete envelope switching amplifier achieved 82.8% efficiency while driving the Class E PA voltage supply. The linearized SiGe PA passed the stringent EDGE transmit spectrum mask.

Keywords

3G mobile communication; BiCMOS integrated circuits; Ge-Si alloys; UHF integrated circuits; UHF power amplifiers; operational amplifiers; 0.18 mum; 44.4 percent; 62.7 percent; 881 MHz; BiCMOS technology; EDGE applications; RF Class E power amplifier; SiGe; discrete linear op-amp; envelope-tracking technique; monolithically fully-integrated power amplifier; switching power converter; BiCMOS integrated circuits; Germanium silicon alloys; High power amplifiers; Operational amplifiers; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Radio frequency; Radiofrequency amplifiers; Silicon germanium; Switching converters;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Radio and Wireless Symposium, 2006 IEEE

Print_ISBN

0-7803-9412-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/RWS.2006.1615137

Filename

1615137