Optically Reconfigurable RF Circuits using Silicon Switches

Mobile and wireless communications systems have become an important part of our everyday lives. These ubiquitous technologies have a profound effect on how we live. People predict bright future to wireless technologies, but it wouldn’t be possible without a hard work of thousands of scientists in the wireless innovation research arena. My Marie Curie project is investigating enabling technologies for future mobile and wireless communications systems

Progresos en sub-sistemas RF y control de la Antena Adaptativa Multihaz GEODA

GEODA project started in 2006 as a complex and ambitious project in the smart antenna field. GEODA is a multiple planar array smart antenna working at 1.7 GHz designed to receive and automatically track several LEO satellite signals simultaneously [1-4]. GEODA evolved to GEODA-GRUA since transmission capabilities were given to the original idea [5-6], so that radiofrequency sub-systems had to be re-designed and digital management subsystem modified accordingly. In this paper, improvements in the reception/transmission (T/R) modules as well as in the Control Subsystem are presented, keeping the original radiating element.

Control of the morphology on selective area growth of GaN nanocolumns by rf-plasma-assisted

Selective area growth (SAG) of GaN nanocolumns (NCs), making use of patterned or masked (nanoholes) substrates, yields a periodic, homogeneous distribution of nanostructures, that makes their processing much easier compared with self-assembled ones. In addition, the control on the diameter and density of NCs avoids dispersion in the electrooptical characteristics of the heterostructures based on this type of material (embedded InGaN/GaN quantum disks for example). Selective area growth using a mask with nanohole arrays has been demonstrated by rf-plasma-assisted MBE [1, 2].

Amplificador de envolvente de señales de RF basado en el convertidor buck multifase

En este trabajo se presenta un convertidor DC-DC buck de dos fases de alta velocidad adecuado para emplear en técnicas de linealización de amplificadores como ET (Envelope Tracking) o EER (Envelope Elimination and Restoration). El convertidor ha sido realizado con tecnología LDMOS y la técnica usada para controlarlo ha sido modulación PWM, creada mediante procesado digital y un generador de funciones. La potencia de salida es de hasta 125W de pico, con un rendimiento del 80%, un ancho de banda de hasta 2MHz y en las medidas de linealidad presenta una atenuación a los productos de intermodulación de tercer orden de más de 45 dBc.

Procedimiento De Amplificador De Envolvente De Señales Moduladas En RF Para Técnicas EER Y ET

An envelope amplifier for an EER (Envelope Elimination and Restoration) and ET (Envelope Tracking) techniques is shown in this paper. The amplifier is based on a high speed two phases buck converter and employs RF LDMOS technology for the switching stage. A DPWM (Digital Pulse With Modulation) signal is used to control the amplifier by means of a functions generator. Simulations and measurements on a circuit prototype are presented showing a good agreement. Up to 125W output peak power can be delivered over a 5Ω load resistor. About 80% efficiency has been obtained. And at the two tone test, the third order intermodulation products (IP3) remain below 45dBc over a 2MHz bandwidth.

Monitoring maximum peak power density values as a more reliable marker for measurement procedures to elucidate RF EMF health effects: Leganes project

Considering the measurement procedures recommended by the ICNIRP, this communication is a proposal for a measurement procedure based in the maximum peak values of equivalent plane wave power density. This procedure has been included in a project being developed in Leganés, Spain. The project plans to deploy a real time monitoring system for RF to provide the city with a useful tool to adapt the environmental EM conditions to the new regulations approved. A first stage consisting of 105 measurement points has been finished and all the values are under the threshold of the regulation.

Design methodology in multiphase buck converter based on minimum time control for high efficiency RF amplifiers

This paper proposes an interleaved multiphase buck converter with minimum time control strategy for envelope amplifiers in high efficiency RF power amplifiers. The solution of the envelope amplifier is to combine the proposed converter with a linear regulator in series. High system efficiency can be obtained through modulating the supply voltage of the envelope amplifier with the fast output voltage variation of the converter working with several particular duty cycles that achieve total ripple cancellation. The transient model for minimum time control is explained, and the calculation of transient times that are pre-calculated and inserted into a look-up table is presented. The filter design trade-off that limits capability of envelope modulation is also discussed. The experimental results verify the fast voltage transient obtained with a 4-phase buck prototype.

Design of envelope amplifier based on interleaved multiphase buck converter with minimum time control for RF application

In this paper, an interleaved multiphase buck converter with minimum time control strategy for envelope amplifiers in high efficiency RF power amplifiers is proposed. The solution for the envelope amplifier is to combine the proposed converter with a linear regulator in series. High efficiency of envelope amplifier can be obtained through modulating the supply voltage of the linear regulator. Instead of tracking the envelope, the buck converter has discrete output voltage that corresponding to particular duty cycles which achieve total ripple cancellation. The transient model for minimum time control is explained, and the calculation of transient times that are pre-calculated and inserted into a lookup table is presented. The filter design trade-off that limits capability of envelope modulation is also discussed. The experimental results verify the fast voltage transient obtained with a 4-phase buck prototype.

High efficiency envelope tracking buck converter for RFPA using GaN HEMTs

—In this paper, application of a new technological solution for power switches based on Gallium Nitride and a filter design methodology for high efficiency Envelope Amplifier in RF transmitters are proposed. Comparing to Si MOSFETs, GaN HEMTs can provide higher efficiency of the Envelope Amplifier, due to better Figure Of Merit (lower product of on- resistance and gate charge). Benefits of their application were verified through the experimental results. The goal of the filter design is to generate the envelope reference with the minimum possible distortion and to improve the efficiency of the Amplifier, obtaining the optimum trade-off between conduction and switching losses.

Multiphase Buck Converter with Minimum Time Control Strategy for RF Envelope Modulation

Power amplifier supplied with constant supply voltage has very low efficiency in the transmitter. A DC-DC converter in series with a linear regulator can be used to obtain voltage modulation. Since this converter should be able to change the output voltage very fast, a multiphase buck converter with a minimum time control strategy is proposed. To modulate supply voltage of the envelope amplifier, the multiphase converter works with some particular duty cycle (i/n, i=1, 2 ... n, n is the number of phase) to generate discrete output voltages, and in these duty cycles the output current ripple can be completely cancelled. The transition times for the minimum time are pre-calculated and inserted in a look-up table. The theoretical background, the system model that is necessary in order to calculate the transition times and the experimental results obtained with a 4-phase buck prototype are given

Optimum Design of an Envelope Tracking Buck Converter for RF PA using GaN HEMTs

In this paper, filter design methodology and application of GaN HEMTs for high efficiency Envelope Amplifier in RF transmitters are proposed. The main objectives of the filter design are generation of the envelope reference with the minimum possible distortion and high efficiency of the amplifier obtained by the optimum trade-off between conduction and switching losses. This optimum point was determined using power losses model for synchronous buck with sinusoidal output voltage and experimental results showed good correspondence with the model and verified the proposed methodology. On the other hand, comparing to Si MOSFETs, GaN HEMTs can provide higher efficiency of the envelope amplifier, due to superior conductivity and switching characteristics. Experimental results verified benefits of GaN devices comparing to the appliance of Si switching devices with very good Figure Of Merit, for this particular application

Series combination of a switched dc-dc converter and a linear regulator for high frequency RF envelope amplifier

Classical linear amplifiers such as A, AB and B offer very good linearity suitable for RF power amplifiers. However, its inherent low efficiency limits its use especially in base-stations that manage tens or hundreds of Watts. The use of linearization techniques such as Envelope Elimination and Restoration (EER) allow an increase of efficiency keeping good linearity. This technique requires a very fast dc-dc power converter to provide variable voltage supply to the power amplifier. In this paper, several alternatives are analyzed to implement the envelope amplifier based on a cascade association of a switched dc-dc converter and a linear regulator. A simplified version of this approach is also suitable to operate with Envelope Tracking technique.

Envelope amplifier based on switching capacitors for high efficiency RF amplifiers

Modern transmitters usually have to amplify and transmit signals with simultaneous envelope and phase modulation. Due to this property of the transmitted signal, linear power amplifiers (class A, B, or AB) are usually used as a solution for the power amplifier stage. These amplifiers have high linearity, but suffer from low efficiency when the transmitted signal has high peak-to-average power ratio. The Kahn envelope elimination and restoration technique is used to enhance the efficiency of RF transmitters, by combining highly efficient, nonlinear RF amplifier (class E) with a highly efficient envelope amplifier in order to obtain a linear and highly efficient RF amplifier. This paper presents a solution for the envelope amplifier based on a multilevel converter in series with a linear regulator. The multilevel converter is implemented by employing voltage dividers based on switching capacitors. The implemented envelope amplifier can reproduce any signal with a maximum spectral component of 2 MHz and give instantaneous maximum power of 50 W. The efficiency measurements show that when the signals with low average value are transmitted, the implemented prototypes have up to 20% higher efficiency than linear regulators used as a conventional solution.

An overview of fast DC-DC converters for envelope amplifier in RF transmitters

In the last years, RF power amplifiers are taking advantage of the switched dc-dc converters to use them in several architectures that may improve the efficiency of the amplifier, keeping a good linearity. The use of linearization techniques such as Envelope Elimination and Restoration (EER) and Envelope Tracking (ET) requires a very fast dc-dc power converter to provide variable voltage supply to the power amplifier but theoretically the efficiency can be much higher than using the classical amplifiers belonging to classes A, B or AB. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the state of the art of the power converters used as envelope amplifiers in this application where a fast output voltage variation is required. The power topologies will be explored and several important parameters such as efficiency, bandwidth and output voltage range will be discussed.

Integración de un amplificador de RF de alto rendimiento con un amplificador de envolvente con red de cancelación de rizado mediante la técnica de EER

En este artículo se presenta la integración de un amplificador de envolvente de una etapa con un amplificador de clase E mediante la técnica de Kahn o Eliminación y restauración de envolvente (EER). Esta técnica se basa en la combinación de un amplificador de potencia conmutado de alto rendimiento alimentado por una fuente de alimentación modulada. El amplificador de envolvente se ha implementado con un convertidor reductor síncrono con red de cancelación de rizado, lo cual permite reducir la relación entre la frecuencia de conmutación y el ancho de banda de gran señal del amplificador de envolvente, que es uno de los factores de diseño más limitantes en esta aplicación. Para la mejora de la linealidad se ha usado la técnica de predistorsión realizándose una validación experimental. El amplificador de envolvente conmuta a 4MHz y el amplificador de clase E a 100MHz. El rendimiento total obtenido para una modulación de amplitud en cuadratura (QAM) es del 68%, con un relación de potencia del canal adyacente (ACPR) de 40dB. Para una modulación por multiplexación por división de frecuencias ortogonales (OFDM), se ha obtenido un rendimiento total del 57% y un ACPR de 32dB.1