Class E/F switching power amplifiers
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsSeyed-Ali Hajimiri, Ichiro Aoki, David B. Rutledge, Scott David Kee
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Abstract
The present invention discloses a new family of switching amplifier classes called “class E/F amplifiers.” These amplifiers are generally characterized by their use of the zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) phase correction technique to eliminate of the loss normally associated with the inherent capacitance of the switching device as utilized in class-E amplifiers, together with a load network for improved voltage and current wave-shaping by presenting class-F−1 impedances at selected overtones and class-E impedances at the remaining overtones. The present invention discloses a several topologies and specific circuit implementations for achieving such performance.
Claims19
A switching power amplifier for amplifying a high frequency input signal having at least one fundamental frequency, one or more tuned harmonics, and one or more untuned harmonics, comprising:
- a high-speed active device that includes a switching component that operates substantially as a switch;
- and
- a load network connected to the active device, wherein the load network provides an open circuit for even tuned harmonies, a short circuit for odd tuned harmonics, and a capacitive load for the untuned harmonies.
A switching power amplifier for amplifying a high frequency input signal having at least one fundamental frequency, comprising:
- a high-speed active device that includes a switching component;
- and
- a load network connected to the active device, wherein the load network presents to the switching component, at all harmonic frequencies substantially present in at least one of the voltage and current waveforms of the active device,
- a substantially inductive load at each fundamental frequency;
- a substantially open circuit at a predetermined number, NE, of even harmonic overtones for each fundamental frequency,
- a substantially short circuit at a predetermined number, NO, of odd harmonic overtones for each fundamental frequency, and
- a substantially capacitive impedance load at a predetermined number of remaining harmonic overtones.
A method of amplifying an RF signal with a high speed active device, comprising:
- tuning a load network connected to the active device so as to provide a substantially open circuit to the active device at selected even harmonics NE;
- tuning the load network signal to provide a substantially short circuit to the active device at selected odd harmonics NO;
- and
- providing substantially capacitive loading to the active device for non-selected harmonics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.