An RF power amplifier in a digital CMOS process
A two stage class B power amplifier for 1.9 GHz is presented. The amplifier is fabricated in a standard digital EPI-CMOS process with low resistivity substrate. The measured output power is 29 dBm in a 50 Omega load. A design method to find the large signal parameters of the output transistor is presented. It separates the determination of the optimal load resistance and the determination of the large signal drain-source capacitance. Based on this method, proper values for on-chip interstage matching and off-chip output matching can be derived. A envelope linearisation circuit for the PA is proposed. Simulations and measurements of a fabricated linearisation circuit are presented and used to calculate the achievable linearity in terms of the spectral leakage and the error vector magnitude of a EDGE (3 pi /8-8PSK) modulated signal.
rf power amplifier cmos amplifier linearisation analog circuits amplitude detection