An empirical behavioral model for RF PAs including self-heating

In this work, we report the formulation and an experimental validation of a behavioral electro-thermal model for radio-frequency (RF) Power Amplifiers (PA). Sensitivity functions with respect to an equivalent temperature are defined for the RF input-output and drain current characteristics, and then coupled with a quasi-static thermal equivalent network. The model is empirically identified with pulse-modulated RF signals and takes advantage of the possibility to impose and sense the case temperature of the PA. The presented model accurately predicts the influence of temperature on quasi-static and dynamic characteristics of an LDMOS PA.