Study for the Uncertainty Estimation of Output Power under the Mismatch Condition of Power Amplifiers

Abstract

In this paper, an accurate method to estimate the measurement uncertainty of a power amplifier was proposed. Because power amplifiers incorporate mismatch at the drain for the optimal performance, the general method is not enough to produce precise measurement uncertainty of the output power. In order to supplement this method, We suggest comprehensive power measurement uncertainty which is utilized by a complex reflection coefficient and measurement uncertainty of S-parameter which contain the mismatch at the drain on the power amplifier. After that, we compared it with real measurement results of the 10 watt power amplifier which operates on 3.7 GHz. As a result, suggested measurement uncertainty could obtain the uncertainty of output power near 10 times accurate in comparison with existing uncertainty calculation method.