A Class-F-1/F 24-31GHz Power Amplifier with 40.7% peak PAE, 15dBm OP-1dB, and
50mW Psat in 0.13µm SiGe BiCMOS 

Speaker:  Yahya Mortazavi (ECE, Virginia Tech)

Date: Friday, January 31, 2014
Time: 3 PM - 4 PM
Location: Whittemore 457 (4th Floor Conference Room)

Abstract:

This work presents a high-efficient tuned-load power amplifier (PA) in 0.13um SiGe BiCMOS achieving a power-added efficiency (PAE) of 39.3-40.7% over 25-30 GHz, 40.7% of peak PAE at 27GHz corresponding to 52.7% of collector efficiency. With an in-band mode transition from inverse class-F to class-F, the PA maintains better than 36.3% PAE over 24-31GHz with 15dBm OP-1dB and 50mW Psat, the highest PAE reported so far in integrated silicon technologies at microwave and millimeter (mm)-wave frequencies. At 6dB back-off from the Psat the measured PAE is 26%, comparable to III-V PAs.