Broadband high-efficiency power amplifiers design based on hybrid continuous modes utilizing the optimal impedances at package plane

Abstract

The hybrid continuous modes combining all the continuous modes between continuous Class-B/J and continuous Class-F, provide wider impedance design space for realizing broadband high-efficiency power amplifiers (PAs). In this paper, the optimal impedances of the hybrid continuous modes defined at the current source plane transformed to the package plane are deduced mathematically. Using the optimal impedances at the package plane, a 1.5–2.7 GHz broadband PA is designed, and the simulated fundamental impedances are found to be in good agreement with calculated ones. The experimental results reveal that the fabricated PA delivers 10.7–16.6 W saturation output power with drain efficiency above 70.4% across the band from 1.4–2.7 GHz. Additionally, tested by a 5 MHz WCDMA signal, a measured high drain efficiency of 42.2%–50.8% is achieved at an average output power of 35.2–38.1 dBm from 1.4–2.7 GHz when an adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) is about −30dBc.