Band-Reconfigurable and Load-Adaptive Power Amplifier
AssigneePurdue Research Foundation
InventorsKENLE CHEN, DIMITRIOS PEROULIS
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Abstract
A tunable amplifier includes continuous tunability for both frequency and power levels. The tunable amplifier includes a combination of a tunable series resonator and a multi-stage LC network as the output matching network. The tunable amplifier incorporates a variable diode varactor with high breakdown voltage and high tuning range into a tunable resonator. The tunable resonator is connected to a fixed output matching network to enable a wide range of operating frequencies. The tunable amplifier enables high power, high efficiency, broadband and load-modulated power amplification, which is greatly desired for next-generation wireless communication systems and other high-frequency applications.
Claims24
An electronic circuit comprising an input matching network, a fixed output matching network, a transistor, and a tunable resonator, the transistor comprising:
- a gate connected to the input matching network;
- a source connected to ground;
- and
- a drain directly connected to an input of the tunable resonator;
- and
- the tunable resonator comprising:
- a varactor;
- and
- an inductor connected in series to the varactor;
- and
- an output of the tunable resonator being connected to an input of the fixed output matching network.
A method for signal amplification comprising:
- generating with an input matching network an impedance matched signal corresponding to an input signal, the impedance matched signal being provided to a gate of a transistor to control operation of the transistor;
- generating with the transistor an output through a drain of the transistor that is directly connected to an input of a varactor in response to the impedance matched signal from the input matching network;
- and
- generating with the varactor and an inductor connected to an output of the varactor an amplified output signal corresponding to the input signal.
The method of claim 20, the generation of the bias voltage to adjust the capacitance level of the varactor further comprising:
- generating the bias voltage to control capacitance levels of a first pair of varactor elements connected in series with an anode of one varactor element in the first pair being connected to the input of the varactor, a cathode of the one varactor element in the first pair being connected to a cathode of the other varactor element in the first pair, and an anode of the other varactor element in the first pair being connected to the output of the varactor, the bias voltage being applied to the cathodes of the first pair of varactor elements.
A matching circuit comprising:
- a tunable resonator having an input configured to be connected directly to an input signal source, the tunable resonator further comprising:
- a varactor;
- and
- an inductor connected in series with the varactor;
- and
- a fixed output matching network comprising at least one inductor-capacitor (LC) circuit with an input that is connected in series to an output of the inductor and an output that is configured to be connected to an output load.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.