Large-signal source/load-pull verification of an ST-SPICE Gummel-Poon model for RF silicon power bipolar transistors

The parameters of the ST SPICE Gummel-Poon model (ST-SGPM) were extracted from DC and multibias S-parameter measurements. The accuracy of that model in the non-linear mode of operation was investigated by comparisons with on-wafer source/load-pull measurements. It was found that the ST-SGPM, in spite of its reduced complexity, is able to predict with very high accuracy the non-linear behavior of an RF silicon power bipolar transistor even at power levels well above the 1 dB compression point. This is true even if no further optimizations were carried out to fit the large-signal measurements. Simulations of source/load-pull contours of maximum output power and power-added efficiency were also found to be in very good agreement with measured data.