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Reliability Evaluation of RF Power Amplifier for Wireless Transmitter  

Choi, Jin-Ho (Dept. of Computer Engineering, Pusan University of Foreign Studies)
Publication Information
Journal of information and communication convergence engineering / v.6, no.2, 2008 , pp. 154-157 More about this Journal
Abstract
A class-E RF(Radio Frequency) power amplifier for wireless application is designed using standard CMOS technology. To drive the class-E power amplifier, a class-F RF power amplifier is used and the reliability characteristics are studied with a class-E load network. The reliability characteristic is improved when a finite-DC feed inductor is used instead of an RF choke with the load. After one year of operating, when the load is an RF choke the output current and voltage of the power amplifier decrease about 17% compared to initial values. But when the load is a finite DC-feed inductor the output current and voltage decrease 9.7%. The S-parameter such as input reflection coefficient(S11) and the forward transmission scattering parameter(S21) is simulated with the stress time. In a finite DC-feed inductor the characteristics of S-parameter are changed slightly compared to an RF-choke inductor. From the simulation results, the class-E power amplifier with a finite DC-feed inductor shows superior reliability characteristics compared to power amplifier using an RF choke.
Keywords
RF power amplifier; class-E; class-F; reliability; stress time;
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