Continuous-mode harmonically tuned power amplifier output networks and systems including same
The disclosed technology can include a power amplifier comprising an input, an output, and a transformer. The power amplifier can include a primary inductor coil coupled to the input, a secondary inductor coil coupled to the output, and three harmonic branches coupled to the primary coil. Each branch can comprise at least one electrical component having a tunable impedance.
1. A power amplifier configured to operate in both a common mode and a differential mode comprising:
a transformer;
a common tuning branch configured to provide second-order harmonic tuning in the common mode; and
a differential tuning branch configured to provide third-order harmonic tuning in the differential mode;
wherein the power amplifier is configured to operate at an operating frequency greater than or equal to 18.5 GHz.
2. The power amplifier of claim 1 further comprising:
an input; and
an output;
wherein the transformer comprises:
a primary inductor coil coupled to the input; and
a secondary inductor coil coupled to the output.
3. The power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein the common tuning branch comprises two inductor branches coupled to the transformer and configured to provide second-order harmonic impedance tuning in the common mode; and
the differential tuning branch comprises harmonic tuning capacitors coupled to the transformer and configured to provide third-order harmonic impedance tuning in the differential mode.
4. The power amplifier of claim 2 , wherein the primary inductor coil is symmetrically positioned within the transformer with respect to the secondary inductor coil; and
wherein the differential tuning branch comprises the primary and secondary inductor coils of the transformer.
5. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier has a footprint area of less than or equal to approximately 0.14 mm 2 .
6. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier is configured to operate in both the common mode and the differential mode simultaneously.
7. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier has a hybrid Class F/Class F −1 topology.
8. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier has a fractional bandwidth of approximately 54.3%.
9. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier is further configured to have a peak power-added efficiency between approximately 33% and approximately 50% when the operating frequency is between approximately 28 GHz and approximately 45 GHz.
10. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier is further configured, when the operating frequency is approximately 28 GHz, to have:
a saturated power output of between approximately 18.6 dBm and approximately 28 dBm;
a peak power-added efficiency of between approximately 30% and approximately 46%; and
a power gain between approximately 10 dB and approximately 25 dB.
11. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier is further configured, when the operating frequency is approximately 37 GHz, to have:
a saturated power output of between approximately 18.6 dBm and approximately 26 dBm;
a peak power-added efficiency of between approximately 25% and approximately 42%; and
a power gain of between approximately 10 dB and approximately 25 dB.
12. The power amplifier of claim 4 , wherein the power amplifier is further configured, when the operating frequency is approximately 39 GHz, to have:
a saturated power output of between approximately 18.5 dBm and approximately 26 dBm;
a peak power-added efficiency of between approximately 25% and approximately 42%; and
a power gain of between approximately 10 dB and approximately 25%.
13. The power amplifier of claim 1 , wherein:
the transformer is a single 1:1 transformer comprising two symmetrically embedded inductor branches;
the common tuning branch comprises two extended inductor branches coupled to the transformer and configured to provide second-order harmonic impedance tuning in the common mode;
the differential tuning branch comprises three harmonic tuning capacitors coupled to the transformer and configured to provide third-order harmonic impedance tuning in the differential mode; and
the power amplifier is further configured to:
simultaneously provide continuous-mode harmonic tuning at both the differential mode and the common mode; and
operate at an operating frequency greater than or equal to 20 GHz.
14. A power amplifier configured to simultaneously provide continuous-mode harmonic tuning at both a differential mode and a common mode, the power amplifier comprising:
a single 1:1 transformer including two symmetrically embedded inductor branches;
three harmonic tuning capacitors coupled to the transformer and configured to provide third-order harmonic impedance tuning in the differential mode; and
two extended inductor branches coupled to the transformer and configured to provide second-order harmonic impedance tuning in the common mode.
15. The power amplifier of claim 14 further comprising two matching capacitors.
16. The power amplifier of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the extended inductor branches has a length greater than a length of each of the symmetrically embedded inductor branches.
17. The power amplifier of claim 14 , wherein at least one of the extended inductor branches has a length in the range of approximately 40 μm to approximately 120 μm.
18. The power amplifier of claim 14 , wherein the extended inductor branches form a common mode tuning branch and the symmetrically embedded inductor branches form a differential mode tuning branch.
19. A massive MIMO system comprising a power amplifier including:
a single 1:1 transformer including two symmetrically embedded inductor branches;
three harmonic tuning capacitors electrically coupled to the transformer and configured to provide third-order harmonic impedance tuning in a differential mode; and
two extended inductor branches electrically coupled to the transformer and configured to provide second-order harmonic impedance tuning in ae common mode.