Linear CMOS RF Power Amplifiers: A Complete Design Workflow

ISBN-13: 9781461486565 / Angielski / Twarda / 2013 / 185 str.

Hector Solar Ruiz; Roc Berenguer Perez

Opis

The work establishes the design flow for the optimization of linear CMOS power amplifiers from the first steps of the design to the final IC implementation and tests. The authors also focuses on design guidelines of the inductor's geometrical characteristics for power applications and covers their measurement and characterization. Additionally, a model is proposed which would facilitate designs in terms of transistor sizing, required inductor quality factors or minimum supply voltage. The model considers limitations that CMOS processes can impose on implementation. The book also provides different techniques and architectures that allow for optimization.

Recenzje

Reviewer 1

This book is a good guide for master students who take a course in RF amplifier design.

Reviewer 2

This book presents the layout design of the PA and their measurement setup in great detail. This book is helpful to readers who have little prior experience of PA design.

Reviewer 3

The organization of this manuscript is logical, providing a clear flow for readers. This proposed book is suitable for beginners of CMOS PA designs who are looking for a practical perspective for understanding the complete design flow.

Reviewer 4

While competing books dive into details of a particular topic/PA design techniques, this manuscript covers a wider range of materials which is more useful for readers working in different CMOs power amplifier field.

Reviewer 5

The manuscript is very good and PA designers will enjoy reading through it and discovering that although PA design is a complex subject, its intricacies can be separated and solved, and the design can become straightforward.

Spis treści

Introduction.- Requirements of wireless standards.- Transmit output power levels.- Digital modulation considerations.- CMOS transceivers.- Impact of the Power Amplifier in the transceiver performance.- Power amplifier integration considerations.- Organization of the book.- CMOS performance issues.- Breakdown voltage phenomena.- Hard breakdown.- Soft breakdown.- Output load.- Optimum load concept.- Conjugate vs. load match.- Knee voltage effect.- Substrate losses in CMOS.- Current limits in CMOS.- Power Amplifier metrics.- AM-AM distortion.- Saturated power (PSAT) and 1dB compression point (P1dB).- Effect of the PSAT and P1dB on digital modulation.- Output third-order intercept point (OIP3).- AM-PM distortion.- Effect of the AM-PM distortion.- Digital channel metrics.- Spectral regrowth.- Error vector magnitude.- Efficiency metrics.- Drain efficiency.- Power Added Efficiency.- Power capability.- CMOS integration useful architectures.- Integrated CMOS Power combination.- Magnetic coupling.- Simple parallel combination.- Doherty Power Amplifier Solutions.- Dynamic Supply.- Digital predistortion.- Cascode transistor.- Thick oxide transistors.- Self-biased cascode Power Amplifiers.- RF Power Amplifier Fundamentals.- Linear and non-linear Power Amplifiers.- Current-source mode Power Amplifiers.- Class A Power Amplifiers.- Class B Power Amplifiers.- Class AB Power Amplifiers.- Class C Power Amplifiers.- Switch mode Power Amplifiers.- Class D Power Amplifiers.- Class E Power Amplifiers.- Class F Power Amplifiers.- Power Amplifier design.- A model for linear Power Amplifiers.- Model description.- Linear region of the transistor conductance.- Non-linear region of the transistor conductance.- Output power, drain efficiency and PAE.- Model based analyses.- Effect of the cascode transistor.- Effect of the inductor parasitics.- Effect of the PA biasing.- Starting point parameters.- Measurements comparison.- Power amplifier design.- Schematic circuit description.- Design flow.- Ouptut network.- Output stage.- Input network.- Driver stage.- Interstage matching and stability.- Power inductor design.- Top metal layer considerations.- Multiple metal layers considerations.- Inductor geometry considerations.- Accuracy analysis of the electromagnetic simulator.- Power inductor design flow.- Layout design.- Circuit isolation.- Differential design considerations.- Balanced inductors.- Common-centroid.- Passive components.- Low value resistors.- RF capacitors.- Stage isolation.- PAD design.- Test set-ups and results.- One-tone PA measurements.- Test set-up.- Current consumption.- Input matching.- Power gain.- Output 1dB compression points.- Saturated output power.- Power Added Efficiency.- Digital channel PA measurements.- Test set-up.- Error vector magnitude.- Spectrum mask.- Reliability and maximum ratings.- Power Inductor measurements.- Test setput.- Inductance.- Quality factor.- Conclusions.

Blurb

This work describes the design flow for the optimization of linear CMOS power amplifiers from the first steps of the design to the final IC implementation and tests. The authors also focus on design guidelines for the inductor’s geometrical characteristics for power applications and cover their measurement and characterization. Additionally, a model is proposed which facilitates design in terms of transistor sizing, required inductor quality factors or minimum supply voltage. The model considers the limitations that CMOS processes can impose on implementation. The book also details various techniques and architectures that allow for optimization.