An advanced load-line analysis software is devised for nonlinear circuit design and simulation of microwave low-distortion, high-efficiency and high-power GaN HEMT amplifiers. A single software package can incorporate DC, small- and large-signal performances of GaN HEMT devices, and then analyze nonlinear performance of amplitude-to-amplitude (AM-AM) and amplitude-to-phase (AM-PM) modulations, and finally evaluate intermodulation distortion (IMD) and error vector measurement (EVM). High speed and high accurate simulation become available with the use of behavioral modeling for representing nonlinear performance of GaN HEMT devices. In addition, the software employs a time-domain analysis using time-varying electrical waveform and thus give clear and deep insight into the nonlinear behavior of GaN HEMT devices as well as the nonlinear circuit design technique of low-distortion and high-efficiency amplifiers. In comparison with the harmonic-balance (HB) method, comparable performances have been successfully achieved for an L-band 10W GaN HEMT amplifier.

1. S. C. Cripps, RF Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communication, 1st ED., Artech House, Norwood, MA, USA, 1999; pp. 24-32.
2. A. Raffo, F. Scappaviva, G. A. Vannini, “New Approach to Microwave Power Amplifier Design Based on the Experimental Characterization of the Intrinsic Electron-Device Load Line”, IEEE Transaction on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 57, no. 7, July 2009
3. A. Raffo, G. Bosi, V. Vadalà, G. Vannini, “Behavioral Modeling of GaN FETs: A Load-Line Approach”, IEEE Transaction on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 62, no. 1, January 2014
4. Focus Microwaves Data Manual. Montreal, QC, Canada: Focus Microwave Inc., 1988.
5. J. M. Cusak, S. M. Perlow, B. S. Perlman, “Automatic load contour mapping for microwave power transistors”, IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech., vol. MTT-22, no. 12, pp. 1146–1152, December 1974.
6. J. C. Rodringues, Computer-aided Analysis of Nonlinear Microwave Circuits, 1st-ED., Artech House, Norwood, MA, USA, 1998; pp. 229-309.
7. K. Mori, M. Nakayama, Y. Itoh, S. Murakami, Y. Nakajima, T. Takagi, Y. Mitsui, “Direct Efficiency and Power Calculation Method and Its Application to Low Voltage High Efficiency Power Amplifier”, IEICE Transaction, vol. E78-C, no.9, pp.1229-1236, September 1995.
8. Y. Ikeda, K. Mori, M. Nakayama, Y. Itoh, O. Ishida, T. Takagi, “An Efficient Large-Signal Modeling Method Using Load-Line Analysis and its Application to Non-Linear Characterization of FET”, IEICE Transaction, vol. E84-C, no. 7, pp. 875-880, July 2000.
9. Keysight Product Note 89400-14.
10. MATLAB R2021B, Mathworks.
11. T. R. Turlington, Behavioral Modeling of Nonlinear RF and Microwave Devices, 1st ED., Artech House, Norwood, MA, USA, 2000, pp. 107-133.
12. W. R. Curtice, M.A. Ettenberg, “Nonlinear GaAs FET Model for Use in the Design of Output Circuits for Power Amplifiers”, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, vol. 33, no. 12, December 1985
13. H. Statz, P. Newman, I. W. Smith, R. A. Pucel, A. Haus, “GaAs FET device and circuit simulation in SPICE”, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 1987, vol. 34, No. 2
14. H. Jiang, P. Gong, W. Xie, B. Chen, B, H. Ma, C. Yang, “EVM Measurement and Correction for Digitally Modulated Signals”, 2018 Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements (CPEM 2018)
15. MATLAB Communication Toolbox, EVM Measurement.
16. CGH40010, Wolfspeed, A Cree Company, USA
17. Keysight Advanced Design System 2021
18. X. Du, C. J. You, M. Helaoui, J. Cai, M. Ghannouchi, “Evaluation of Knee Voltage Effect and Soft Turn-on Characteristic on the Load Modulated Continuous Class-B/J Power Amplifier”, 2018 IEEE MTT-S International Wireless Symposium (IWS) 2018.
19. P. Sandro, J. E. Mueller, R. Weigel, “Extension of the Load-Line Theory by Investigating the Impact of the Knee-Voltage on Output-Power and Efficiency”, Proceeding of the European Microwave Integrated Conferences, pp. 488-491, 2013.
20. M. Coers, W. Bosxh, “Analysis of Tilting Load-Line in AlGaN/GaN Broadband Uniform Distributed Amplifier”, Proceeding of GeMic, 2014.
21. M. L. Salib, D. E. Dawson, H. K. Hahn, “Load-Line Analysis in the Frequency Domain Distributed Amplifiers Design Examples”, IEEE MTT-S Digest, pp. 575-578, 1987.
22. J. Kim, J. Moon, Y. Y. Woo, S. Hong, I. Kim, J. Kim, B. Kim, “Analysis of a Fully Matched Saturated Doherty Amplifier with Excellent Efficiency”, IEEE Transaction on MTT, vol 56, no. 2, pp. 328-338, February 2008.
23. M. A. Medina, D. Schreurs, I. Angelov, B. Nauwelaers, “Doherty Amplifier Design for 3.5GHz Wimax Considering Load Line and Loop Stability”, Proceeding of the 3rd European Microwave Integrated Conference, pp. 522-525, 2008.
24. G. Bosi, V. Vadalá, R. Giofrè, A. Raffo, G. Vannini, “Evaluation of Microwave Transistor Degradation Using Low-Frequency Time-Domain Measurements”, 2021 XXXIVth General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of the International Union of Radio Science (URSI GASS)
25. N. C. Miller, D. T. Davis, S. Khandelwal, F. Sischka, R. Gilbert, M. Elliott, R. C. Fitch, K. J. Liddy, A. J. Green, E. Werner, D. E. Walker, K. D. Chabak, “Accurate non-linear harmonic simulations at X-band using the ASM-HEMT model validated with NVNA measurements”, 2022 IEEE Topical Conference on RF/Microwave Power Amplifiers for Radio and Wireless Applications (PAWR)
26. N. Poluri, M. M. D. Souza,” Ease of Matching a Load Line Impedance in a 25 W Contiguous Mode Class BJF−1 Broadband Amplifier”, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Technology Letters, 2023, Vol. 33, No.2.

Citations by Dimensions

Citations by PlumX

Crossref Citations

This paper is currently not cited.

No. of Downloads per Month

No. of Downloads per Country