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AlGaN/GaN-based power amplifiers for mobile radio applications: a review from the system supplier's perspective

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2010

Dirk Wiegner ,
Gerhard Luz ,
Patrick Jüschke ,
Robin Machinal ,
Thomas Merk ,
Ulrich Seyfried ,
Wolfgang Templ ,
Andreas Pascht ,
Rüdiger Quay  and
Friedbert Van Raay
Dirk Wiegner*
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Gerhard Luz
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Patrick Jüschke*
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Robin Machinal
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Thomas Merk
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Ulrich Seyfried
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Wolfgang Templ
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Andreas Pascht
Affiliation:
Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Bell Labs, Lorenzstrasse 10, 70435 Stuttgart, Germany.
Rüdiger Quay
Affiliation:
FhG-IAF Freiburg, Tullastrasse 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
Friedbert Van Raay
Affiliation:
FhG-IAF Freiburg, Tullastrasse 72, 79108 Freiburg, Germany.
*
Corresponding authors:D. Wiegner and P. Jüschke Emails: Dirk.Wiegner@alcatel-lucent.com, Patrick.Juschke@alcatel-lucent.com
Corresponding authors:D. Wiegner and P. Jüschke Emails: Dirk.Wiegner@alcatel-lucent.com, Patrick.Juschke@alcatel-lucent.com
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Abstract

This paper gives a summarized overview on the progress and achievements on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMT)-based power amplifiers (PAs) for mobile radio applications which have been achieved within two national funded German projects during a period of six years. Starting with a first 34 dBm (2.5 W, peak) amplifier in 2003 the impressive progress toward highly efficient S-band mobile radio PAs with up to >50 dBm (100 W) peak output power is described by means of some selected single- and multiband amplifier demonstrators. This progress has been mainly enabled by clear progress on GaN technology, device packaging, and PA design. Targeting at highly efficient single-band amplifier applications, a 2.7 GHz symmetrical Doherty amplifier with up to 45% drain efficiency at close to 45 dBm average output power under single-carrier W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) operation using digital predistortion can be highlighted. In case of multiband capable amplifiers addressing software-defined radio applications, a class-AB-based demonstrator covering a frequency range from 1.8 to 2.7 GHz was realized. The amplifier showed >30% drain efficiency up to 2.5 GHz as well as up to 40 dBm average output power under single-carrier W-CDMA operation using proprietary digital predistortion. Finally, Alcatel-Lucent's activities on envelope tracking for future efficiency improved GaN-based amplifiers are described.

Keywords

AlGaN/GaN HEMTW-CDMAPower amplifierMultibandDohertyEnvelope trackingDrain efficiencyDigital predistortion
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 95 - 104
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2010

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References

REFERENCES

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