A Power Amplifier Design Based on Wavetek …. Power...A Power Amplifier Design Based on Wavetek...

A Power Amplifier Design Based on Wavetek Process Design Kits

Min-Li Chou Ph.D. / Wavetek (聯穎光電)

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Agenda

• Introduction of Wavetek (WTK)

• Overview of WTK process design kit

• Example of power amplifier design

– General considerations on power amplifier design

– Final stage and power cell design

– Complete power amplifier design

• Summary

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INTRODUCTION OF WAVETEK (WTK)

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Agenda

• Introduction of Wavetek (WTK)

• Overview of WTK process design kit

• Example of power amplifier design

– General considerations on power amplifier design

– Final stage and power cell design

– Complete power amplifier design

• Summary

HBT pHEMT Others

IPD1 Polyimide

IPD2 Air-bridge

ED25 LNA/PA/Infrastructure/

RF switch

SH2 High Beta 120 for Excellent Linearity

SH1 High Beta 125 for Excellent Linearity

HBT1/2 High Linearity 3G/LTE/WiFi

HBT3 Medium Linearity GSM/GPRS/EDGE

HBT5 High Ruggedness PA

HBT6 Small Cell [12V operation]

ED15-00 mmWave/LNA/5G Cellular

ED15-01 5G Cellular/mmWave

PA25 Power pHEMT [8V]

Process Map

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OVERVIEW OF WTK PROCESS DESIGN KIT

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Agenda

• Introduction of Wavetek (WTK)

• Overview of WTK process design kit

• Example of power amplifier design

– General considerations on power amplifier design

– Final stage and power cell design

– Complete power amplifier design

• Summary

Keysight Advance Design System (ADS)

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ADS 2020 is Released!

One Stop RF Circuit Design Flow

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ADS PDK

Schematic view Device models

Layout view P-cells

Advance layout elements DRC and LVS

Momentum (FEM) (ETH) Substrate definition file

- Customer engineer service

Components in Schematic Library

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1 2 2

3

4

1 Netlist Include Kit Active Devices - HBT - Diode Passive Component - Resistor - Inductor - Capacitor Traces - Microstrip lines - Backside via.

Others - ESD devices - Customized components

2

3

4

5

Components in Layout Library

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1

2

3

4 4

Active Devices - HBT - Diode Passive Component - Resistor - Inductor - Capacitor Traces - Microstrip lines - Backside via. - Via - Standard pad.

Others - Dicing streets - Text layouts

1

2

3

4

DRC / LVS (Layout Verification Tools)

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DRC LVS

DRC and LVS are ready to offer layout verification.

✔

EM-Simulation on Momentum

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Measured (solid line) and simulated (dash line) inductance and quality factor with different turns.

Substrate definition files Layout pattern Turns

Turns

EXAMPLE OF POWER AMPLIFIER DESIGN

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Agenda

• Introduction of Wavetek (WTK)

• Overview of WTK process design kit

• Example of power amplifier design

– General considerations on power amplifier design

– Final stage and power cell design

– Complete power amplifier design

• Summary

A Power Amplifier Design

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This work: Power Amplifier Design

Modulator

Carrier

Pre-amplifier

Antenna

Considerations in power amplifier design • Linearity: IP3, AM-AM/-PM conversion, ACLR…

• Thermal: electro-thermal interaction, thermal coupling effect

Performance of power amplifier design • Return loss • Gain • P1dB

• IP3 • …

Non-Linear Effect

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Linear input wave

VBE

IC Non-linear output wave

Input power (dB)

Output power (dB)

Linear region (slope = small-signal gain)

Compression region

Saturated output power

t

t

t

t

f

f

f

f

Linear

Non-linear

f0

f0

f0

f0 f1 f2

Modulation Issue

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Intermodulation Distortion Verification Test Bench (VTB)

Thermal Issue in Power Cell

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Ic increase

Power dissipation increases

Increase the temperature of B-C junction

Resistance of the device decreases

Electro-Thermal Interaction Thermal Coupling Effect

Parallel Devices Top view

Rcp Rcp

Rth Rth Rth

Block Diagram of Power Amplifier

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Inter-stage Matching Network

Input Matching Network

Output Matching Network

Bias Circuit

Bias Circuit

Output Stage

RF input RF output

Drive the constant current for amplifier

Impedance matching (Gain matching)

Gain amplifier to boost RF input power

Power amplifier to drive output power

Driving Stage

ZS ZL

Impedance matching (Power matching)

RFout

RFin

VB

GND

Power Cell

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RFout

RFin

VB

Input Output

DC Block

Ballasting Resistor

HBT Core Unit Cell Power Cell

Power cell core

Biasing Circuit: Structure

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Q1

Q2

Q3

R1

R2

Adaptive biasing circuit (Linearizing bias circuit)

C1

Impedance Matching and Load Pull

Impedance Matching Contours of PAE, Power and Gain

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PAE circle

Power circle

Ga circle

Load Impedance (50 Ω)

Device Impedance

Output matching network

VSWR circle ( 2:1)

Optimized and trade amplifier performance between Pout, PAE, Ga and VSWR.

✔

Pre-Layout and Post-Layout Simulation

• Pre-layout simulation

Using equivalent models.

Coupling effect not considered.

Less simulation time.

• Post-layout (EM-) simulation

Performance extracted from the substrate definition file.

Coupling effect considered.

Taking more simulation time.

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Off-Chip Elements

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Package PCB

Wire bond Off-chip components

Smart Mount for Multi-Technology

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Smart Mount allows a component designed in one technology to be used in a design with a different technology.

Chip Substrate

Module Substrate

✔

Reference demokit: QFN_Designer_V8 ✔

Power Amplifier Design Flow

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Inter-stage Matching Network

Input Matching Network

Output Matching Network

Bias Circuit

Bias Circuit

Output Stage

RF input RF output Driving Stage

ZL ZS

1 2 3 4

Select the transistor size and bias point.

Load pull and power matching.

Driving amplifier design.

Gain matching. 1 2 3 4

Test Bench from Design Guide

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Templates Design Guide

Template and design guide provide simulation environments to designers for reference.

✔

Device Analysis: DC Simulation

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Reference design guide: BJT I-V curve, Class A Power, Eff., Load, Gm vs. Bias ✔

Device Analysis: Load Pull

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VSWR circle ( 2:1)

Reference design guide: Load Pull – PAE, Output Power Contours

Your Schematic

✔

Device Analysis: Stability

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Mu and Stability Factor Stability Circle Winslow Stability Probe (WSProbe)

ADS 2020 new function!

Simulation: S-Parameter

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Smith chart with S11 and S22

Input / output return loss and gain

Simulation: Harmonic Balance

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Gain

Pout

PAE

P1dB

RF Frequency: 4.9 GHz

RF Spectrum OP1dB vs. Frequency Pout, Gain and PAE vs. Frequency

Simulation: Two-Tone and Modulation

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Frequency (GHz)

(dB

c)

OIP3 vs. Frequency Pout vs. Pin

Complete Power Amplifier Design

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1st stage amplifier

2nd stage amplifier

Final stage amplifier

Input matching network

Inter-stage matching network

Inter-stage matching network

Output matching network

Complete your power amplifier!

Your Schematic

SUMMARY

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Agenda

• Introduction of Wavetek (WTK)

• Overview of WTK process design kit

• Example of power amplifier design

– General considerations on power amplifier design

– Final stage and power cell design

– Complete power amplifier design

• Summary

Summary

1. The power amplifier is a critical component in the RF transmission system. This work demonstrates a step-to-step power amplifier design and raises several considerations for new designers.

2. To provide a friendly circuit design environment, Wavetek and Keysight would continually provide improved PDK solutions to all partners.

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Welcome to Visit Wavetek Website

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http://www.wtkmicro.com

Thank you for your listening

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