A power amplifier integrated with a composite right/left-handed metamaterial antenna

We designed, simulated and fabricated an active integrated antenna based on an infinite wavelength composite right/left-handed metamaterial structure. Due to its nonlinear dispersion characteristic, the realized antenna does not show a resonance behavior at the second and third harmonic. This property can be exploited for the profitable termination of the higher harmonics as used in class-F or inverse class-F power amplifier concepts. The advantage over classical high efficiency concepts is the reduced circuit complexity since there is no need for an additional resonator tank.