Abstract
The next-generation 5G and beyond-5G wireless systems have stimulated a substantial growth in research, development, and deployment of mm-Wave electronic systems and antenna arrays at various scales. It is also envisioned that large dynamic range modulation signals with high spectral efficiency will be ubiquitously employed in future communication and sensing systems. As the interface between the antennas and transceiver electronics, power amplifiers (PAs) typically govern the output power, energy efficiency, and reliability of the entire wireless systems. However, the wide use of high dynamic range signals at mm-Wave carrier frequencies substantially complicates the design of PAs and demands an ultimate balance of energy efficiency and linearity as well as other PA performances. In this review paper, we will first introduce the system-level requirements and design challenges on mm-Waves PAs due to high dynamic range signals. We will review advanced active load modulation architectures for mm-Wave PAs and power devices. We will then introduce recent advances in mm-Wave PA technologies and innovations with several design examples. Special design considerations on mm-Wave PAs for phased array MIMOs and high mm-Wave frequencies will be outlined. We will also share our vision on future technology trends and innovation opportunities.
Highlights
With the rapid increase of worldwide mobile data traffic, the mm-Wave spectrum (30 GHz–300 GHz) with its ample unlicensed bandwidth is believed to be the key enabler for the wireless revolution [1]–[3]
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Emerging communication systems employ array antennas to produce beams oriented towards specific receivers, and the received signal power is determined by the Effective Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) of the transmit array in the user’s direction [4]
For the Doherty or Doherty-like power amplifiers (PAs) architectures, which most rely on sequential turning-on of multiple PA paths depending on the input, the auxiliary PA paths are often biased in class-C mode and kept off at low signal levels which means that 50% of the input power is consumed while generating no outputs
Summary
With the rapid increase of worldwide mobile data traffic, the mm-Wave spectrum (30 GHz–300 GHz) with its ample unlicensed bandwidth is believed to be the key enabler for the wireless revolution [1]–[3]. WANG ET AL.: MILLIMETER-WAVE POWER AMPLIFIER INTEGRATED CIRCUITS FOR HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE SIGNALS TABLE 1 PA Power Requirements for Different Antenna Array Sizes† These mm-Wave PAs should deliver large output power (Pout) with sufficient power density to ensure the link budget and compact area compatible with the tight λ/2 array element lattice. Mm-Wave wireless links will extensively employ complex modulation schemes, such as high-order QAMs, OFDM, and carrier aggregations; these modulation signals often exhibit large dynamic ranges that can be characterized by their Peak-to-Average-Power-Ratio (PAPR). The extensive use of these high-PAPR signals has a profound impact on how future mm-Wave PAs should be architectured and designed Both high peak power added efficiency (PAE) and power-back-off (PBO) efficiency are mandatory to achieve a high average energy efficiency (PAEave) when amplifying high-PAPR signals, which directly determines the system thermal handling requirements as well as battery life or operation time for mobile devices.
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