New percentage linearization measures of the degree of linearization of HPA nonlinearity

A percentage linearization (PL) and a percentage linearization area (PLA) are defined and proposed as two new measures of the degree of AM-to-AM linearization, achieved by a linearization scheme, of the saturating region of nonlinear high power amplifiers (HPAs). The measures are based on defining a HPA saturation power point which is very close to the asymptotic output saturation power (AOSP) line. Here the point where the first derivative of the AM-to-AM dB power characteristic drops to 0.1 is so defined. Employing the passage through a typical pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor solid-state power amplifier (PHEMT SSPA) of an UWC-136 8-PSK signal, as a test signal, an introductory insight into the usefulness of these linearization measures is presented.