FUNDAMENTALS OF

RF POWER AMPLIFIERS
FTF-NET-N1998

TIM DAS
SR. RF APPLICATIONS ENGINEER
FTF-NET-N1998
MAY 18, 2016

PUBLIC USE
 AGENDA
• Review of RF Power Amplifier Topologies and Their
Application
• Solution Selection Criteria
• Important Considerations for Component Selection
• Common Pitfalls
• Example

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Most Common Types of High Power RF Amplifiers

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Linear Amplification (Class A/AB/B, F, F-1, J, …)
• Linear amplification, Class A/AB/B PAR
• Simplest topology
• Compact footprint / small size
• Higher classes of operation (e.g., F, F-1, J, …)
possible to enhance efficiency (somewhat)
• Back-off operation required for linearity Gain
− Minimize clipping of peak envelope excursions backoff

− Modest efficiency for high PAR signals due to

Pout
requirement for back-off

h
− Typical Applications:

Pout

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Doherty Amplification
PAR
• Separate Carrier & Peaking amplifiers Carrier

• Symmetric, asymmetric, and n-way possible (n≥2)

• Can use Si LDMOS, GaN, GaAs technologies Peaking

• Mature, established PA architecture for high power

cellular infrastructure (e.g., metro cell)
• Good efficiency performance possible for Gain
modulated signals with high PAR backoff

• Linearization (e.g., DPD) generally required to meet

Pout
linearity requirements

• Typical Applications: Cellular Basestations h

backoff

Pout

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Envelope Tracking (ET)
• Consists of two amplifiers Env
a(t) Amp
− Wide
bandwidth envelope amplifier supplies
VDD bias (drain current) to RF PA at   I t   Qt 
2 2

a(t)+aDC
• Digital Signal Processing is employed to
map optimal PA drain bias with signal PA

envelope
• High efficiency potential for high PAR
signals & in back-off operation
h

• Typical Applications: Mobile/portable

communication devices
Pout

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Polar Transmitter (EER)
• Consists of two amplifiers
Env
− Envelope amplifier (provides VDD bias / current to
a(t) Amp
RF PA
− RF PA (operates in gain compression)
• Envelope & pm signals must be developed, a(t)+aDC

generally through digital methods (t)

PA
• RF PA is inherently efficient due to operation in e j  t  t 
gain compression
• Can be difficult to find a suitable envelope
at   I t   Qt 
2 2

amplifier
 t   tan 1  Qt  I t 
 

• Typical Applications: Mobile/portable

communication devices (e.g. mobile WiMAX)

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Switch-Mode Power Amplification (SMPA)
• SMPA concepts to achieve a linear & efficient PA / transmitter have been the
subject of research (mostly academic) interest for a number of years

High h
Good linearity

• NXP has/is investigating certain SMPA techniques & is following academic

research in this area

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Theoretical Efficiency 10 0

• Case study: 8 dB PAR CFR WCDMA

10 -1

Probability
0.8 0.78 10 -2

0.7
0.6
0.63 10 -3
n=2
havg 0.5 Doherty
10 -4
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0.4 0.35 Pk/Avg Pwr Ratio - dB
Class B
0.3
0.2 A/B
0.08 Vmax
0.1
Class A  P (V )  p(V )dV
o

h AVG  V 0

Amplifier Architecture max

Po (V )

0
hinst (V )
 p (V )dV

1 Switcher efficiency assumed @ 100%

2 Switcher efficiency assumed @ 100%
3 Zero power lost due to harmonics of pulse sampling rate, 100% spectral efficiency

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 SOLUTION
SELECTION
CRITERIA
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Parameters That Matter
Output RF Power Peak/Average output power capability is expressed in W or dBm
Frequency band LDMOS (band-specific) 1 MHz to 3.8 GHz
GaN (wideband) 1 MHz to 3.0 GHz
GaAs and SiGe 1 MHz to 6 GHz
Supply Voltage(s) 1.5 V – 13.6 V for Handheld and Mobile applications
26 V – 52 V for High Power LDMOS and GaN
Efficiency High efficiency reduces heat dissipation, which increases reliability,
reduces power supply and cost
Package Physical dimensions and heat dissipation requirements
Linearity Depending on the application, linearity can be indicated via IP3, ACP,
EVM, IP2, etc.
Ruggedness Various Tests of survivability to abnormal levels of RF energy appearing
at an RF port
Price Many products and package variants provide many options…
Plastic packages priced 20% less than ceramic package devices

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Gain Compression

Saturated Output
Power

Output Power (dBm)

Compression
region

Linear region
(slope = small-signal gain)

Input Power (dBm)

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Amplifier Linearity
Error Vector Magnitude Adjacent Channel Power Leakage

3rd-Order
Intermodulation Distortion

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Parametric, “Product Selector” Tool at NXP.com
Look for this link on the
“RF Products” Page

Note link for

“Suggested Drivers”

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 IMPORTANT
CONSIDERATIONS
FOR COMPONENT
SELECTION
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Competitive Strength of NXP RF Power Solutions
• #1 player in RF Power
• Leader in performance and ruggedness
• Advanced multi-stage IC portfolio
• Leader in cost-effective over-molded plastic packaging
• Product longevity programs
• Undisputed manufacturing reliability and consistency
• Broadest portfolio in the industry:
− Cellular:160+ transistors in production / 275 reference designs
− Industrial: 40+ transistors in production / 150 reference designs
• Devices tested for Ruggedness
• Tuned and Tested Test Fixtures available to customers to use as a reference design and
evaluation vehicle
• Simulation models available via the NXP website: ADS or AWR

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Output Power Considerations Ppeak
Pavg
Pulsed
• Depending on application, power may be
specified as : Pavg=Ppeak
− Peak power : specify max instantaneous power
− Average power CW

− Continuous or Pulsed
• Several stages are necessary to provide high
output power from a low power source
− Serial stages increase gain The Driver Amplifier must have sufficient output
power capability to drive Final Stage to its required
− Parallel stages increase power
output level

GaAs GaAs
LDMOS
SiGe LDMOS
GaN

Pre-Driver Driver Final Stage

The Final Stage may have a range of load
The pre-driver provides the impedance over which it must “survive”
needed gain e.g. 8:1 VSWR

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Power Amplifier Line-Up

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Device Selection

Datasheet review reveals

that the transistor
• is designed for Doherty applications
• is designed for the appropriate
frequency band
• has appropriate power capability,
* Excerpt from NXP AFT21S230S datasheet available at i.e., Psat ~ 47 dBm + 7.0 dB when
http://www.nxp.com/files/rf_if/doc/data_sheet/AFT21S230S_232S.pdf operated in class AB into a
“tradeoff” load impedance
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Device Selection

NXP

* Excerpt from NXP MMG30271B datasheet available at

http://www.nxp.com/files/rf_if/doc/data_sheet/MMG30271B.pdf

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Tuned RF Evaluation Fixtures
• Amplifiers tuned for specific
applications
• Optimized performance
• Impedance matched RF ports
• Each test fixture is available with a
dataset including
− BOM, component layout, PCB layout
file
− Detailed performance data
• Customers are encouraged to copy
the design

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Sub-system Reference

Advanced
Doherty
Alignment
Module

Doherty Final

Drivers

Pre-Driver Stage

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Radio Front-End Reference Design
To/From Transceiver Predriver Stage
RF SRx Out RF Tx In Amplifier
• Low power, typically low
voltage, 5 V GaAs
Receive Path • Class A
(not shown)
• Switch (TDD)
• LNA

DC, Control, Monitoring

• Regulators
• Temperature
• Bias
• Current Driver Stage Amplifier
• VSWR • Intermediate power
• Power Detection • Class AB or increasingly
• Circuit Protection Doherty
• Others
Final Stage Amplifier
Circulator and Coupler • High power
• Non-Linear signal split for • Doherty
input to DPD
To Filter & Antenna
RF Tx Out

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Validation Levels for Simulation Models

• No comparison to product measurements

Level-0 • No peer review required

• No report demonstrating how
representative model is to product

• Model simulations compared to product measurements

• S-Parameters

Level-1 • Power Sweeps

• Single Impedance, Input & Output, set by test fixture
• Multiple frequencies measured at same impedance

• Model simulations compared to product measurements

• S-Parameters
• Load-pull Contours around MXE & MXP
Level-2 • Power Sweeps
• Multiple Impedance, MXE & MXP, states set by load-
pull for each frequency
• Multiple frequencies measured

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150 Other Reference Designs Available
Consult your NXP Product Rep
for
• Datapaks describing
Application Specific Solutions
• Ordering samples
• Access to Reference Design
and Evaluation Fixtures
• Access to Simulation Models
• Characterization Data (e.g.
Load-Pull data)

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 COMMON PITFALLS

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Common Pitfalls
After first-pass device selection, more
device/solution info is needed…
Request device/solution specific data through
NXP Sales Representative. If it already exists,
you will receive it quickly. If not, NXP Apps.
Eng. can look at collecting that data for you.

A device will often operate beyond its

Using a device beyond its datasheet specified specified operating range. Ask for an
operating range assessment of feasibility for your application
via NXP Sales Representative.

“Unconditionally Stable” A “Conditionally Stable” device should provide

vs. higher levels of RF performance than an
“Conditionally Stable” “Unconditionally Stable” device.

Request Applications Engineering help (via

Fitting a solution to specific design constraints: NXP Sales Representative) when you have
e.g. PCB area, thermal, supplies. specific design constraints that must be
accommodated.

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 EXAMPLE

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Device Selection Example
Cell Tower Transmitter Needs
Parameter Value
Frequency band 2110 – 2170 MHz
Average output power 49 dBm at PA output
(POUT)
Line-Up Gain @ POUT ~59 dB
System
Line-Up Efficiency @ POUT ≥ 43% Architecture,
Available supplies for PA Can accommodate 28 V or 48 V DPD and CFR is
beyond the
Signal type W-CDMA, 2-4 carriers
scope of this
Signal PAR 10.0 dB presentation
System Architecture Doherty with DPD and CFR
CFR will reduce PAR to 7.5 dB
C
• Usually, only a small subset of solution criteria are
available/known at the first conversation
• Follow-up conversations are usually needed to narrow P
options and accommodate design constraints

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Device Selection Example
• Start device selection with RF Power C
Transistors
• Start with the Fundamentals
P

Parameter Value
Frequency band 2110 – 2170 MHz
Peak Power (P3dB) with CFR 56.5 dBm

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Device Selection Example
CFR will be employed to
better accommodate
Pout = 49 dBm

DPD will be
employed to
linearize this PA to
ACPR ≤ -55 dBc

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Device Selection Example
C
After determining expected
capability of Doherty HPA, then
move to Driver selection P

Parameter Value
Frequency band 2110 to 2170 MHz
49 - 15.7 + 7.5 ≥ 40.8 dBm

Driver P3dB Doherty PA Gain

PA Output taken from
PAR
Power A2T21H410-24S
Datasheet

49 - 15.7 ≥ 33.3 dBm

Driver Linear Pout Doherty PA Gain

PA Output taken from
Power A2T21H410-24S
Datasheet

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Device Selection Example

Using Frequency and P1dB selection criteria (±3 dB window)

Since Doherty is operating at 28 V, the driver shall be also.
Eight options are listed. Lets look at narrowing those options…

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Device Selection Example
Comparing Datasheets…
C
We find that AFT27S010N is almost perfectly sized,
However, MRF6S20010N is more linear to Pout = 33 dBm P

Some DPD systems may have some difficulty linearizing A2T21H410-24S Doherty
driven by AFT27S010N.
We will select MRF6S2001N as the driver for this application

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Device Selection Example
C
After determining expected
capability of Driver, then move
to Pre-driver selection P

Parameter Value
Frequency band 2110 to 2170 MHz
49 – 15.7 – 15.5 + 7.5 ≥ 25.3 dBm

Pre-driver P3dB PA Doherty Gain Driver Gain

taken from taken from
output PAR
A2T21H410-24S MRF6S20010N
Power Datasheet Datasheet

Pre-driver Linear Pout 49 – 15.7 – 15.5 ≥ 17.8 dBm

Pre-driver Gain 59 – 15.7 – 15.5 ≈ 27.8 dB

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Device Selection Example
Look through GPA Portfolio C

Using Frequency and P1dB selection criteria (±3dB window)

Five GPA options are listed, but gain is too low

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Device Selection Example

Look through Linear Amplifier Portfolio

P

Using Frequency and P1dB selection criteria (±3dB window)

Two Linear Amp options, with adequate gain, are listed

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Device Selection Example
We find that MMA20312BV is the best choice
since its gain and linear performance provides C
strong ACP performance to Pout = 19 dBm

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Device Selection Example
A2T21H410-24S
LDMOS Doherty HPA
Tuned to 2110 – 2170 MHz
28 V
MRF6S20010N 15.7 dB Gain
LDMOS Transistor: Class AB 49% Eff @ Pout = 49dBm
Tuned to 2110 – 2170 MHz
28 V
15.5 dB Gain Lineup Parameter
24% Eff @ Pout = 33dBm
C Line-Up Gain 58.2 dB
Output Power 49 dBm
Line-Up Efficiency 46%
PAR 7.5 dB

MMA20312BV P
GaAs Linear Amp: Class AB
Tuned to 2110 – 2170 MHz
5.0 V
27 dB Gain
11.5% Eff. @ Pout = 18dBm

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