Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T09:04:23.687Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

AlGaN/GaN-based power amplifiers for mobile radio applications: a review from the system supplier's perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2010

Dirk Wiegner ,
Gerhard Luz ,
Patrick Jüschke ,
Robin Machinal ,
Thomas Merk ,
Ulrich Seyfried ,
Wolfgang Templ ,
Andreas Pascht ,
Rüdiger Quay  and
Friedbert Van Raay
Dirk Wiegner*
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Gerhard Luz
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Patrick Jüschke*
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Robin Machinal
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Thomas Merk
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Ulrich Seyfried
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Wolfgang Templ
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Andreas Pascht
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Rüdiger Quay
Affiliation:
FhG-IAF Freiburg, Tullastrasse 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
Friedbert Van Raay
Affiliation:
FhG-IAF Freiburg, Tullastrasse 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
*
Corresponding authors:D. Wiegner and P. Jüschke Emails: [email protected], [email protected]
Corresponding authors:D. Wiegner and P. Jüschke Emails: [email protected], [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper gives a summarized overview on the progress and achievements on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMT)-based power amplifiers (PAs) for mobile radio applications which have been achieved within two national funded German projects during a period of six years. Starting with a first 34 dBm (2.5 W, peak) amplifier in 2003 the impressive progress toward highly efficient S-band mobile radio PAs with up to >50 dBm (100 W) peak output power is described by means of some selected single- and multiband amplifier demonstrators. This progress has been mainly enabled by clear progress on GaN technology, device packaging, and PA design. Targeting at highly efficient single-band amplifier applications, a 2.7 GHz symmetrical Doherty amplifier with up to 45% drain efficiency at close to 45 dBm average output power under single-carrier W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) operation using digital predistortion can be highlighted. In case of multiband capable amplifiers addressing software-defined radio applications, a class-AB-based demonstrator covering a frequency range from 1.8 to 2.7 GHz was realized. The amplifier showed >30% drain efficiency up to 2.5 GHz as well as up to 40 dBm average output power under single-carrier W-CDMA operation using proprietary digital predistortion. Finally, Alcatel-Lucent's activities on envelope tracking for future efficiency improved GaN-based amplifiers are described.

Keywords

AlGaN/GaN HEMTW-CDMAPower amplifierMultibandDohertyEnvelope trackingDrain efficiencyDigital predistortion
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 95 - 104
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]Ertl, H.; Kolar, J.W.; Zach, F.C.: Basic considerations and topologies of switched- mode assisted linear power amplifiers. IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron., 44 (1) (1997), 116–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2]Wiegner, D. et al. : Wideband amplifiers based on GaN HEMT technology for 3G/4G base station applications, in EuMW2005, 2005, Paris, France.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Cripps, S.C.: RF Power Amplifier for Wireless Communication, Artech House, Norwood, MA, 1999.Google Scholar
[4]Kenington, P.B.: High-Linearity RF Amplifier Design, Artech House, 2000.Google Scholar
[5]Doherty, W.H.: A new high efficiency power amplifier for modulated waves. Proc. IRE 24 (9) (1936), 1163–1182.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[6]Kimball, D. et al. : 50 % PAE W-CDMA base station amplifier implemented with GaN HFETs, in 2005 Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symp., 2005, 89–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7]Wiegner, D. et al. : Design and W-CDMA characterization of a wideband AlGaN/GaN HEMT power amplifier for future 3G multiband base station applications, in GeMiC2006, 2006, Karlsruhe, Germany.Google Scholar