A comprehensive comparison between GaN MMIC Doherty and combined class-AB power amplifiers for microwave radio links

Giofrè, Rocco, Colantonio, Paolo, Giannini, Franco, Ramella, Chiara, Camarchia, Vittorio, Iqbal, Mustazar, Pirola, Marco and Quaglia, Roberto ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3228-301X 2016. A comprehensive comparison between GaN MMIC Doherty and combined class-AB power amplifiers for microwave radio links. International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies 8 (4-5) , pp. 673-681. 10.1017/S175907871600012X

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Abstract

A combined class-AB and a Doherty power amplifier conceived for microwave backhaul in the 7 GHz frequency band are here presented and compared. They are fabricated in the same GaN monolithic process and have identical total active device periphery. For the given application, the linearity-efficiency trade-off for the two architectures is discussed. The two modules have been thoroughly characterized in linear and non-linear continuous wave conditions. Then, to evaluate linearity under the actual operative conditions, a system level characterization has been carried out, applying a modulated input signal and comparing the spectral responses of the two amplifiers with and without digital predistortion. A saturated output power of 40 dBm has been achieved by both circuits. At 6 dB of output back-off, the Doherty amplifier shows an efficiency of 33%, 10 points higher than that of the class-AB module. On the other hand, system level measurements show that, adopting the same predistorter complexity to comply with the reference standard emission masks, the Doherty amplifier needs at least 1 dB of extra back-off. This negatively affects its efficiency, therefore reducing the advantages it can claim with respect to the class-AB amplifier in continuous wave condition.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Engineering
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Circuit design and applications Power amplifiers and linearizers
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
ISSN:	1759-0787
Date of Acceptance:	12 January 2016
Last Modified:	02 Nov 2022 11:51
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/103312

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