Dual-drive high-efficiency wide-band compact doherty power amplifier

A power amplifier circuit comprising:

• a first driver cell that is coupled to a first amplifier cell via a first interstage matching network and that is configured to regulate current flowing to the first amplifier cell;
• a second driver cell that is coupled to a second amplifier cell via a second interstage matching network and that is configured to regulate current flowing to the second amplifier cell;
• a pre-driver cell that is coupled to the first and second driver cells via a third interstage matching network and that is configured to act as a gain block by multiplying an input radio-frequency (RF) signal by a constant value to produce an output RF signal that is directed to the third interstage matching network;
• and
• an output combiner circuit that is configured to combine a first output that is produced by the first amplifier cell with a second output that is produced by the second amplifier cell, so as to provide an amplified version of the input RF signal.

A telecommunications device comprising:

• a carrier amplifier branch that includes a carrier driver cell that is coupled to a carrier power amplifier cell,
• wherein the carrier driver cell is configured to regulate a first current flowing through the carrier power amplifier cell;
• a peaking amplifier branch that includes a peaking driver cell that is coupled to a peaking power amplifier cell,
• wherein the peaking driver cell is configured to regulate a second current flowing through the peaking power amplifier cell;
• a pre-driver cell that is coupled to the carrier driver cell and to the peaking driver cell and that is configured to act as a gain block;
• an input matching network that is coupled to the carrier amplifier branch and the peaking amplifier branch,
• wherein the input matching network is configured to divide a radio-frequency (RF) signal, received by the telecommunications device from a source external to the telecommunications device, between the carrier amplifier branch and the peaking amplifier branch;
• and
• an output combiner circuit that is coupled to the carrier amplifier branch and to the peaking amplifier branch,
• wherein the output combiner circuit is configured to combine signals output by the carrier power amplifier cell and the peaking power amplifier cell to produce an amplified version of the RF signal.