WO2010142462A1

WO2010142462A1 - Inverse class f amplifier and method

Info

Publication number: WO2010142462A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/003630
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrei Grebennikov
Original assignee: Alcatel Lucent SAS
Current assignee: Alcatel Lucent SAS
Priority date: 2009-06-10
Filing date: 2010-06-04
Publication date: 2010-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2011-12-10
Also published as: EP2262107A1; EP2262107B1

Abstract

An inverse class F amplifier comprises: an input (25) operable to receive a microwave frequency signal (20) to be amplified; an output operable to provide an amplified signal to a load (RL),- and a network coupling the input with the output and operable to amplify the microwave frequency signal to generate the amplified signal, the network comprising an amplifying device (30) and a load network comprising at least one variable length transmission line (TL1, TL2) operable to have its length adjusted to vary its effective electrical length to provide, to the amplifying device (30), a first impedance at a fundamental frequency of the microwave frequency signal (20), a second impedance at a second harmonic frequency of the microwave frequency signal (20), the second impedance being higher than the first impedance and a third impedance at a third harmonic frequency of the microwave frequency signal (20), the third impedance being lower than the first impedance.

Description

INVERSE CLASS F AMPLIFIER AND METHOD

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an inverse class F amplifier and a method.

BACKGROUND

Inverse class F amplifiers are known. In a wireless telecommunications system, it is often required that power amplifiers are provided which can operate with high efficiency, high linearity and low harmonic levels simultaneously. A switching-mode inverse class F amplifier is a particularly efficient power amplifier, with low harmonic levels at its output. However, this kind of power amplifier operates in a saturation mode resulting in poor linearity and so is not always suitable to directly replace many linear power amplifiers in conventional wide band code division multiple access (WCDMA) transmitters with non- constant envelope signals. However, in advanced transmitter architectures, it is possible to utilise non-linear high-efficiency power amplifiers operating in an inverse class F mode to obtain high efficiency. Such inverse class F amplifiers seek to prevent transmission of any even harmonics of the input signal. Although many implementations of such inverse class F power amplifiers exist, they each have undesirable characteristics which reduce their operating efficiency and increase the harmonic levels present at their outputs.

Accordingly, it is desired to provide an improved inverse class F amplifier.

SUMMARY According to a first aspect, there is provided an inverse class F amplifier, comprising: an input operable to receive a microwave frequency signal to be amplified; an output operable to provide an amplified signal to a load; and a network coupling the input with the output and operable to amplify the microwave frequency signal to generate the amplified signal, the network comprising an amplifying device and a load network comprising at least one variable length transmission line operable to have its length adjusted to vary its effective electrical length to provide, to the amplifying device, a first impedance at a fundamental frequency of the microwave frequency signal, a second impedance at a second harmonic frequency of the microwave frequency signal, the second impedance being higher than the first impedance and a third impedance at a third harmonic frequency of the microwave frequency signal, the third impedance being lower than the first impedance. The first aspect recognises that a problem with existing inverse class F amplifiers is that the load network coupled to the amplifying device, such as for example a transistor, does not take account of any output parasitic series bond wire and lead inductance of the amplifying device, which makes it difficult to provide a good second-harmonic peaking and third-harmonic short termination in a real circuit which can dramatically reduce efficiency. Even it if is possible to place the load network close to the amplifying device, the open circuit condition will fully depend on the physical length of the bond wire and lead of the amplifying device, which is difficult to set very accurately in real hybrid or monolithic integrated circuits. Hence, the efficiency of the amplifier can vary enormously, both from design implementation to design implementation and from amplifier to amplifier, depending on variation in the characteristics of the components making up the amplifier.

Accordingly, an amplifier may be provided having an input which receives a signal at a microwave frequency to be amplified and outputs the amplified signal via an output to a load. Between the input and output may be provided a network which may have an amplifying device which amplifies the microwave frequency signal and may have a load network which may have at least one variable length transmission line whose length is adjustable to enable the effective electrical length of that transmission line to be changed. In this way, it is possible to effectively "tune" the amplifier to achieve the desired impedances at the different harmonics and to compensate for the effects of any output parasitic series bond wire and lead inductance of the amplifying device, and any output capacitance. Hence, the characteristics of the amplifier may be adjusted from design implementation to design implementation and/or from amplifier to amplifier to maximise its efficiency.

In one embodiment, the load network comprises at least two variable length transmission lines coupling the input with the output, the at least two variable length transmission lines together providing the first, second and third impedances. Hence, a combination of two or more variable length transmission lines may be provided which together may be utilised to provide the required impedances at the different harmonics to maximise the efficiency of the amplifier.

In one embodiment, the at least two variable length transmission lines are provided in series between the input and the output. Hence, the transmission lines may be provided between the input and the output. Typically, the transmission lines will be provided on the output side of the amplifying device, between that amplifying device and the load. In one embodiment, the load network comprises at least a first transmission line, the at least two variable length transmission lines and the first transmission line together providing the first, second and third impedances. Hence, the combination of the variable length transmission lines and the first transmission line stub may together be utilised to provide the required impedances at the different harmonics to maximise the efficiency of the amplifier.

In one embodiment, the load network comprises at least a second transmission line, the at least two variable length transmission lines and the first and second transmission lines together providing the first, second and third impedances. Accordingly, a further transmission line stub may be utilised which in combination with the variable length transmission lines and the first transmission line stub may together be utilised to provide the required impedances at the different harmonics to maximise the efficiency of the amplifier.

In one embodiment, one of the first and second transmission lines is provided between the two variable length transmission lines and another of the first and second transmission lines is provided between the two variable length transmission lines and the load. Hence, one stub may be coupled between the two variable length transmission lines, this stub effectively presenting an open-circuit at the fundamental frequency, a short-circuit at the second harmonic frequency and an open-circuit at the third harmonic frequency. The other stub may be coupled between the two variable length transmission lines and the load and effectively provides assists with impedance matching of the load network and the load at the fundamental frequency, an open- circuit at the second harmonic frequency and a short-circuit at the third harmonic frequency.

In one embodiment, the one of the first and second transmission line stub provided between the two variable length transmission lines has an electrical length at the fundamental frequency of around 90° and the another of the first and second transmission lines provided between the two variable length transmission lines and the load has an electrical length at the fundamental frequency of around 30°.

In one embodiment, the one of the first and second transmission lines provided between the two variable length transmission lines is arranged in a closed-circuit configuration. In one embodiment, the another of the first and second transmission lines provided between the two variable length transmission lines and the load is arranged in an open- circuit configuration.

According to one embodiment the at least two variable length transmission lines comprise a first variable length transmission line and a second variable length transmission line, the first variable length transmission line being coupled with the input and the second variable length transmission line and the second variable length transmission line being coupled with the first variable length transmission line and the output, the first variable length transmission having an adjustable length to provide a first effective electrical length calculated in accordance with the following equation:

^ itan-^{1 1} - ^²^'

2 2Z₁ O₀C₀₁₁, and the second variable length transmission having an adjustable length to provide a second effective electrical length calculated in accordance with the following equation:

where θi and Θ2 are the first and second effective electrical lengths respectively, coo is the fundamental frequency. Lout is an output inductance of the amplifying device, Cout is an output capacitance of the amplifying device and Zi is a characteristic impedance of the first and second variable length transmission lines. Accordingly, the exact effective electrical length of the two transmission lines may be determined and the length of these transmission lines adjusted to the calculated length in order to provide an amplifier with the required characteristics to maximise the efficiency of the amplifier.

In one embodiment, when the output inductance of the amplifying device and the output capacitance of the amplifying device are around zero, the first effective electrical length comprises around 45° and the second effective electrical length comprises around 15°.

In one embodiment, the first impedance matches an impedance of the load at the fundamental frequency. Typically, the impedance matching is achieved through the combination of the two variable length transmission lines and the open-circuit stub between these and the load at the fundamental frequency. In one embodiment, the second impedance is effectively infinite, presenting an open- circuit to the amplifying device at the second harmonic frequency. This is achieved through the combination of one the two variable length transmission lines and the open-circuit stub between these presenting an infinite impedance at the second harmonic frequency, together with the output inductance and the output capacitance of the amplifying device, by creating a parallel resonant circuit.

In one embodiment, the third impedance is effectively zero, presenting a closed circuit to the amplifying device at the third harmonic frequency. This is achieved through the open-circuit stub between the two variable length transmission lines presenting an infinite impedance, and the combination of the two variable length transmission lines and the open-circuit stub between these and the load presenting an zero impedance at the third harmonic frequency, together with the output inductance of the amplifying device, by creating a series resonant circuit.

According to a second aspect, there is provided a method of calibrating an inverse class F amplifier comprising an input operable to receive a microwave frequency signal to be amplified, an output operable to provide an amplified signal to a load, and a network coupling the input with the output and operable to amplify the microwave frequency signal to generate the amplified signal, the network comprising an amplifying device and a load network comprising at least one variable length transmission line, the method comprising the step of: adjusting a length of the at least one variable length transmission line to vary its effective electrical length to provide, to the amplifying device, a first impedance at a fundamental frequency of the microwave frequency signal, a second impedance at a second harmonic frequency of the microwave frequency signal, the second impedance being higher than the first impedance and a third impedance at a third harmonic frequency of the microwave frequency signal, the third impedance being lower than the first impedance.

In one embodiment, the load network comprises at least two variable length transmission lines coupling the input with the output and the step of adjusting comprises: adjusting a length of the at least two variable length transmission lines to provide the first, second and third impedances.

In one embodiment, the at least two variable length transmission lines comprise a first variable length transmission line and a second variable length transmission line, the first variable length transmission line being coupled with the input and the second variable length transmission line and the second variable length transmission line being coupled with the first variable length transmission line and the output and the step of adjusting comprises: adjusting a length of the first variable length transmission to provide a first effective electrical length calculated in accordance with the following equation:

and adjusting a length of the second variable length transmission to provide a second effective electrical length calculated in accordance with the following equation:

² 3 3 Z₁ ' where θi and Θ2 are the first and second effective electrical lengths respectively, coo is the fundamental frequency, Lout is an output inductance of the amplifying device, Cout is an output capacitance of the amplifying device and Zi is a characteristic impedance of the first and second variable length transmission lines.

In one embodiment, when the output inductance of the amplifying device and the output capacitance of the amplifying device are around zero, the step of adjusting comprises: adjusting the first effective electrical length to around 45° and the second effective electrical length to around 15^°.

Further particular and preferred aspects are set out in the accompanying independent and dependent claims. Features of the dependent claims may be combined with features of the independent claims as appropriate, and in combinations other than those explicitly set out in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described further, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures IA and 1 B illustrate schematically an arrangement of an inverse class F amplifier according to one embodiment;

Figures 2A to 2C show the effective circuit presented to the amplifying device at the fundamental, second and third harmonic frequencies; Figure 3A and 3B illustrate the impedance characteristics of transmission lines of differing electrical lengths in both open-circuit and a closed-circuit arrangements; and

Figure 4 is a graph illustrates varying voltage and current output characteristics of an inverse class F amplifier with time. DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Figures 1 A and 1 B illustrate schematically an arrangement of an inverse class F amplifier according to one embodiment. Such amplifiers may be utilised in radio frequency front ends of wireless network transmitters, both in user equipment and base station applications. These amplifiers are utilised to improve overall system performance. The amplifiers are highly efficient which leads to lower power consumption, reduces battery size, minimises the amount of cooling required and reduces cost. The efficiency is achieved through operation of the amplifier in a saturation mode. However, operation in the saturation mode reduces linearity and so they are used in advanced transmitter architectures like Doherty, linear amplification using non-linear components (UNC) or envelope elimination and restoration (EER) arrangements.

As shown in Figure 4, this efficiency is achieved through the careful arrangement of the flow of voltage and current at the output of the amplifying device. In the inverse class F amplifier, the current waveform is ideally a square wave and the voltage waveform is ideally a half sine wave. If these waveforms can be achieved, the product of the two will be zero at all frequencies, except at the fundamental frequency. When this ideal is achieved, power dissipation in the amplifier becomes close to zero.

To obtain these waveforms, all impedances at the different harmonic frequencies need to be carefully controlled. The half sine wave voltage consists of fundamental and even harmonics and so the output impedance seen by the amplifying device at these frequencies needs to be affectively infinite (i.e. an open-circuit) in order to minimise current flow. However, the square wave current only consists of odd harmonics and so the output impedance seen by the amplifying device at these frequencies should be effectively zero (i.e. a closed circuit) in order to minimise voltage. To ensure optimum efficiency at the fundamental frequency, the output impedance of the amplifying device needs to match that of the load.

In practice, it is often not necessary to control every odd and even harmonic. Instead, the even harmonics are dominated by the second harmonic, whilst the odd harmonics are dominated by the third harmonic. Hence, adequate control can be achieved through controlling the impedance characteristics at these two harmonics.

Returning now to Figure IA, the inverse class F amplifier receives a signal generated by a signal generator 20 which is to be amplified and provided to a load RL. The signal to be amplified is received over a path 25 at the gate of a field effect transistor 30. The source of the field effect transistor 30 is coupled to ground, whilst the drain is coupled to α network comprising α number of transmission line strips and stubs. As will be explained in more detail below, two of these transmission line strips or stubs are configured to have a variable length in order to be able to adjust the effective electrical length of these transmission lines to improve the characteristics of the amplifier.

Two variable length transmission TLi and Tb lines are provided between the drain of the transistor 30 and a capacitor Ci providing a DC block at the output to which the load RL is connected. Between the two variable length transmission lines TLi and Tb is connected a third transmission line Tb which couples via a capacitor C2 to ground. A fourth transmission line TLo is connected between the second variable length transmission line Tb and the capacitor Ci. The electrical length of the two variable length transmission lines TLi and Tb are determined in accordance with equations mentioned in more detail below. The third transmission line Tb has an electrical length of 90° at the fundamental frequency. The fourth transmission line TU has an electrical length of 30° at the fundamental frequency. The fourth transmission line TU is a stub which is left in an open-circuit configuration.

Figure 1 B shows a simplified presentation of the transmission line network and also shows the output parasitic series bond wire and lead inductance LOUT of the field effect transistor 30 which makes it difficult to provide a good second harmonic peaking and a third harmonic short termination in a real circuit. Also shown is the output capacitance CouT of the field effect transistor 30. It will be appreciated that the characteristics of the amplifier will depend of the physical length of this inductance, which is difficult to set very accurately in real hybrid or monolithic integrated circuits and so may vary from device to device. Complex conjugate load matching is achieved at the fundamental frequency, together with high impedance at the second harmonic and low impedance at the third harmonic at the device output by using two series transmission lines TLi and Tb with variable lengths (which are selected depending on the device output shunt capacitance COUT and series inductance LOUT), in combination with the quarter wave short-circuit stub Tb and the open-circuit stub TU with an electrical length of 30°.

The following description of the behaviour of the transmission lines TLi to TU should be read in conjunction with Figures 3A (which shows the effective impedance of a closed- circuit transmission line at different electrical lengths) and Figure 3B (which shows the effective impedance of an open-circuit transmission line at different electrical lengths). Figure 2A illustrates the effective network seen by the field effect transistor 30 at the fundamental frequency. The third transmission line Tb is in a closed-circuit configuration and, from Figure 3A, it can be seen that this presents an infinite impedance. The transmission line TU is in open-circuit and, it can be seen from Figure 3B, presents a capacitive impedance. Hence the network seen by the transistor 30 at the fundamental frequency will be the series of the two variable transmission lines TLi and Tb, together with the open-circuit capacitive stub TU to provide impedance matching between the transistor output impedance ROUT and load resistance RL. The electrical lengths of these two variable length transmission lines are calculated in accordance with the following equations:

² 3 3 Z₁ '

Where COUT and LOUT are the shunt capacitance and the parasitic inductance of the transistor 30 respectively, and ωo is the fundamental or operating frequency of the received signal to be amplified.

In an ideal implementation, where LOUT = COUT = zero, the value of θi is 45° and the value of Θ2 is 15°.

Figure 2B illustrates the load network seen by the field effect transistor 30 at the second harmonic frequency. At the second harmonic frequency, the transmission line TU has an electrical length of 180° (Le. 2x90°) and, as can be seen from Figure 3A, for a closed- circuit transmission line presents a zero impedance. Hence, due to the shorting effect of the quarter wave short-circuit stub TU, the transmission line TLi provides and open- circuit condition for the second harmonic at the transistor 30 output by forming a second-harmonic tank, together with Cout and Lout. For example, assuming the first variable length transmission line TLi has the idealised electrical length of 45°, then, as can be seen from Figure 3A, the transmission line TLi presents an infinite impedance at 90° (Le. 2x45°), when COUT = LOUT = 0.

Figure 2C illustrates the load network seen by the field effect transistor 30 at the third harmonic frequency. At the third harmonic frequency, the closed-circuit transmission line TU has an electrical length of 270° (i.e. 3x90°) and, as can be seen from Figure 3A, presents an infinite impedance. Likewise, the transmission line TU has an electrical length of 90° (i.e. 3x30°) and, as can be seen from Figure 3B, presents a short-circuit. The resulting transmission lines TLi and Tb, together with the series inductance LOUT then provides α short-circuit condition for the third harmonic at the field effect transistor 30 output. For example, assuming the first variable length transmission line TLi has the idealised electrical length of 45° and the second variable length transmission line Tb has the idealised electrical length of 15° then, as can be seen from Figure 3A, the transmission line TLi presents close to a zero impedance at 180° O e- 3x60°)

Hence, it can be seen that adjustment of the transmission lines TLi and Tb can easily provide the required open and short circuit conditions, as well as impedance matching at the fundamental frequency, depending on the actual physical length of the transistor 30 output electrodes and their associated parasitic inductance and shunt capacitance.

The mechanism used to vary the length of the transmission lines TLi and Tb may be in accordance with known techniques. For example, lengths of the transmission lines may be etched away, loops may be provided or breaks made in a so-called "ladder" arrangement.

Through this approach an efficient inverse F class amplifier may be provided which can readily be adapted to achieve high efficiencies irrespective of the tolerances of the characteristics of the field effect transistor 30 or the particular layout of the amplifier circuit itself.

It will be appreciated from Figures 3A and 3B that the required characteristics of the different transmission lines mentioned above can be achieved by utilising transmission lines of different lengths in the other open or closed circuit configurations.

A person of skill in the art would readily recognize that steps of various above-described methods can be performed by programmed computers. Herein, some embodiments are also intended to cover program storage devices, e.g., digital data storage media, which are machine or computer readable and encode machine-executable or computer-executable programs of instructions, wherein said instructions perform some or all of the steps of said above-described methods. The program storage devices may be, e.g., digital memories, magnetic storage media such as a magnetic disks and magnetic tapes, hard drives, or optically readable digital data storage media. The embodiments are also intended to cover computers programmed to perform said steps of the above-described methods. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any block diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative circuitry embodying the principles of the invention.

The description and drawings merely illustrate the principles of the invention. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the invention and are included within its spirit and scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be only for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the invention, as well as specific examples thereof, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. An inverse class F amplifier, comprising: an input (25) operable to receive a microwave frequency signal to be amplified; an output operable to provide an amplified signal to a load (RL); and a network coupling the input with said output and operable to amplify said microwave frequency signal to generate said amplified signal, said network comprising: an amplifying device (30); and a load network comprising at least one variable length transmission line operable to have its length adjusted to vary its effective electrical length to provide, to said amplifying device, a first impedance at a fundamental frequency of said microwave frequency signal, a second impedance at a second harmonic frequency of said microwave frequency signal, said second impedance being higher than said first impedance and a third impedance at a third harmonic frequency of said microwave frequency signal, said third impedance being lower than said first impedance, wherein said load network comprises at least two variable length transmission lines (TLi, Tb) coupling said input with said output, at least a first transmission line and at least a second transmission line, said at least two variable length transmission lines and said first and second transmission lines together providing said first, second and third impedances, one (TU) of said first and second transmission lines is provided between said two variable length transmission lines and another (TU) of said first and second transmission lines is provided between said two variable length transmission lines and said load, said one of said first and second transmission lines is arranged in a closed-circuit configuration and has an electrical length at said fundamental frequency of around 90° and said another of said first and second transmission lines has an electrical length at said fundamental frequency of around 30°.

2. The inverse class F amplifier of claim 1 , wherein said at least two variable length transmission lines are provided in series between said input and said output.

3. The inverse class F amplifier of claim 1 or 2, wherein said another of said first and second transmission lines provided between said two variable length transmission lines and said load is arranged in an open-circuit configuration.

4. The inverse class F amplifier of any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein said at least two variable length transmission lines comprise a first variable length transmission line and a second variable length transmission line, said first variable length transmission line being coupled with said input and said second variable length transmission line and said second variable length transmission line being coupled with said first variable length transmission line and said output, said first variable length transmission having an adjustable length to provide a first effective electrical length calculated in accordance with the following equation: out

¹ 2 2Z₁ ω₀C, out and said second variable length transmission having an adjustable length to provide a second effective electrical length calculated in accordance with the following equation:

² 3 3 Z₁ ' where θi and Θ2 are said first and second effective electrical lengths respectively, coo is said fundamental frequency. Lout is an output inductance of said amplifying device. Coot is an output capacitance of said amplifying device and Zi is a characteristic impedance of said first and second variable length transmission lines.

5. The inverse class F amplifier of claim 4, wherein when said output inductance of said amplifying device and said output capacitance of said amplifying device are around zero, said first effective electrical length comprises around 45° and said second effective electrical length comprises around 15°.

6. The inverse class F amplifier of any preceding claim, wherein said first impedance matches an impedance of said load at said fundamental frequency.

7. The inverse class F amplifier of any preceding claim, wherein said second impedance is effectively infinite, presenting an open circuit to said amplifying device at said second harmonic frequency.

8. The inverse class F amplifier of any preceding claim, wherein said third impedance is effectively zero, presenting a closed circuit to said amplifying device at said third harmonic frequency.

9. A method of calibrating an inverse class F amplifier comprising an input (25) operable to receive a microwave frequency signal to be amplified, an output operable to provide an amplified signal to a load (RL), and a network coupling the input with said output and operable to amplify said microwave frequency signal to generate said amplified signal, said network comprising an amplifying device (30) and a load network comprising at least one variable length transmission line, said method comprising the step of: adjusting a length of said at least one variable length transmission line to vary its effective electrical length to provide, to said amplifying device, a first impedance at a fundamental frequency of said microwave frequency signal, a second impedance at a second harmonic frequency of said microwave frequency signal, said second impedance being higher than said first impedance and a third impedance at a third harmonic frequency of said microwave frequency signal, said third impedance being lower than said first impedance, wherein said load network comprises at least two variable length transmission lines (TLi, Tb) coupling said input with said output, at least a first transmission line and at least a second transmission line, said at least two variable length transmission lines and said first and second transmission lines together providing said first, second and third impedances, one (Tb) of said first and second transmission lines is provided between said two variable length transmission lines and another (TU) of said first and second transmission lines is provided between said two variable length transmission lines and said load, said one of said first and second transmission lines is arranged in a closed-circuit configuration and has an electrical length at said fundamental frequency of around 90° and said another of said first and second transmission lines has an electrical length at said fundamental frequency of around 30^°.