Design of high‐efficiency SiGe hetrojunction bipolar transistor linear power amplifier with new adaptive bias configuration

Abstract

This study shows a 2.4 GHz linear power amplifier (PA) design with a new adaptive bias configuration using TSMC 0.35 μm SiGe hetrojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology, for wireless communication applications such as WLAN. The proposed bias configuration adequately compromises the consumed current and the output power to avoid dramatic current increases in the high‐input power condition, while the output power capability is also maintained to achieve optimal efficiency through a proper size selection for the bias HBT. The final designed PA displays P1 dB of 23.76 dBm and 29.76% power‐added‐efficiency (PAE) with a 33.1 dBm output‐intercept‐point in the third order (OIP3). The saturated output power is 27.54 dBm with 39.12% in PAE, while the chip size is 0.91 × 0.83 mm2.

Power Amplifier and Low Noise Amplifier for WLAN Applications

“…Low noise figure and high linearity are important figures of merits for designing an LNA [2] which can also be used for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) apps [3][4]. LNA and PA designs can be with chips as well as with transistors such as Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS), heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), field-effect transistor (FET), High-electronmobility transistor (HEMT) and Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor (pHEMT) [5][6]; the biasing is prominent for the selection [7]. The waves emitted from the antenna have to be 1556 amplified first with PA and it is essential to form a stable [8] and efficient [9] circuit according to practice.…”