Fully Integrated GaAs HBT MMIC Power Amplifier Modules for 2.5/3.5-GHz-Band WiMAX Applications

Abstract

This paper describes two GaAs HBT MMIC power amplifier modules (PAs) for 2.5-GHz-and 3.5-GHz-band Wi-MAX applications. Each amplifier module integrates a fully 50-Ω input/output matched three-stage amplifier, a 0/20-dB step attenuator, an attenuator controller, and an RF detector together with all bias circuits, featuring on-module full integration. The step attenuator operating with high power handling capability, low-distortion, and low-bias current is placed between the first and second stages, thereby suppressing the change of the input return loss between thru and attenuation modes.With the 4.5 mm x 4.5 mm small-size module, optimized circuit design approaches lead to the following good measurement results under the 6-V supply voltage and WiMAX modulation (64QAM) test condition. The 2.5-GHz-band PA is capable of delivering a high gain (G p ) of over 31.9 dB, EVM of less than 2.1%, and PAE of more than 13.4% at a 28-dBm high output power (P out ). For the 3.5-GHz-band PA, a high G p of over 28.1 dB, EVM of less than 2.4%, and PAE of over 11% are achieved at a P out of 28 dBm.

An octave-range watt-level fully integrated CMOS switching power mixer array for linearization and back-off efficiency improvement

“…The chip also includes wideband output matching and occupies only mm , which is attributed mainly on the nonlinear amplification of the LO signal. This is the first reported fully integrated CMOS power generation circuit to achieve over 1 W output , in gigahertz range and the performance is comparable to a recently reported fully integrated GaAs PA [24], as can be seen in Table III, summarizing previous work of monolithic PA for mobile application [25], [26].…”

Evolution of Power Amplifiers for Mobile Phone Terminals from the 2nd Generation to the 5th Generation

“…An attenuator is connected in series to the input of the PA to reduce the gain [34]. A method of connecting an attenuator between the first stage and the final stage has also been proposed [35], [36]. As for the attenuator, it is possible to use a diode as well as a FET, and it is possible to realize it only with HBT.…”