Model Matching Approach in RF Power Amplifier Linearization

Abstract

Radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PA) are the most power consuming components of a mobile communications unit. They are used to convert the DC power from the battery into RF power delivered to the antenna. In a cell phone it becomes very important to use highly efficient power amplifiers, such as Class C and Class E PAs, to increase the talk time which is directly proportional to the battery life. On the other hand, these RF PAs are inherently nonlinear and produce spectral regrowth and other undesirable effects. Therefore, to exploit their high efficiency, it is desirable to employ linearization techniques to linearize their overall response. Linear model matching linearization techniques are investigated in this work to compensate for PA nonlinearities. The application of these techniques results in a controller architecture that delivers excellent linearity performance of compensated Class C PA models, making them very suitable in wideband digital communication systems that transmit multiple signals at high data rates, assuring that intermodulation distortion and spectral regrowth are minimized at the output of the power amplifier.