Analysis of Reliability and Power Efficiency in Cascode Class-E PAs

Power Amplifier Principles and Modern Design Techniques

“…In the last 10 years a substantial research effort has targeted the demonstration of class E CMOS PAs for GSM with 40% or better PAE, motivated by lowering the cost of present solutions [23][24][25]. Ref.…”

Experimental Verification of RF Stress Effect on Cascode Class-E PA Performance and Reliability

“…A cascode topology is adopted in a class-E PA to divide the output voltage and decrease gate oxide stress effect [7]- [9]. The cascode topology is better than the noncascode structure due to reduced drain-gate voltage stress on the output transistor.…”

“…In addition, a thick oxide of the cascode transistor may be used to alleviate oxide stress at the expense of reduced output voltage swing [10]. Note that prior publications [7]- [10] on class-E PA reliability issues focused on gate oxide stress, not on channel hot-electron injection. This motivates us to evaluate hotelectron effect on class-E PA degradations using experimental data and a mixed-mode device and circuit simulation.…”

RF power amplifier techniques for spectral efficiency and software-defined radio

“…Since the bondwire inductance is part of the resonating network of the class-E PA in our implementation, its larger value reduces the output power and hence the efficiency. Based on simulations and literature [23], there should be ample room to improve the class E efficiency.…”

“…The Envelop Elimination and Restoration (EER) technique [23] was first proposed by Kahn in 1952 and also known as Polar modulation technique. In its classic structure as shown in Figure 2.28, the amplitude and phase information are separated from the input signal using an envelope detector and a limiter.…”