A closed‐form equation approach to multi‐port/multi‐zone behavioral modeling of GaN FET Amplifiers

Abstract

SummaryIn this paper, a systematic method for the simulation of weakly and mildly nonlinear GaN FET amplifiers is reported. The core of the proposal is a third‐order Volterra‐based behavioral model with multi‐spectral and multi‐node capabilities that is formally derived from a circuit‐level representation. Starting with the equivalent circuit of a typical FET device with thermal power feedback and fading memory, described in terms of its large‐signal functions, closed‐form expressions for the kernels at the gate, drain and thermal nodes are developed up to the third order. The use of these kernels allows the calculation of the responses in the dc, first‐, second‐ and third‐harmonic zones, which are shown to be dependent on the frequency response of the amplifier circuit terminating impedances and thermal filter. The simulation approach has been applied to calculate the nonlinear response of a typical power amplifier circuit, showing the ability of the proposed approach to provide an accurate prediction of multi‐spectral, multi‐node, multi‐bias characteristics, including AM/AM‐AM/PM conversion, spectral regrowth, intermodulation, and temperature rise, under diverse input signal waveforms and bandwidths. These results have been successfully compared with commercial CAD tools based on harmonic balance or envelope simulation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.