Amplifier circuit and method

Abstract

An amplifier arrangement comprises N amplifier stages comprising a main amplifier stage and a plurality of peaking amplifier stages. A transmission line comprises a varying impedance for transforming a load impedance to a higher impedance at the main amplifier stage, wherein the plurality of peaking amplifiers are coupled at intermediate locations to the transmission line. The amplifier arrangement is configured such that at least two of the peaking amplifiers are collectively driven with time delayed versions of substantially the same signal. The amplifier arrangement may be configured to operate with N−2 or fewer transition points in a Doherty mode of operation. As such, the amplifier arrangement may comprise more amplifier stages than are necessarily required in a Doherty amplifier arrangement having the same number of transition points.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.