A compact switching mode class-f power amplifier design

Abstract

Even though there had been extensive research in Switching Mode Power Amplifier design their applications at industry level are quite limited. This is because a Fully-Integrated Switching Mode Power Amplifier using conventional active devices such as Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT) or Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) is challenging due to the inherent design challenges in the Switching Power Amplifier design. A Fully-Integrated Differential Class-F2,3 Power Amplifier design is explored for this Thesis research. This Power Amplifier has a maximum theoretical efficiency of 90.7% but this value is reduced because of the switching nature of the active device, parasitic effects associated with layout and the quality factor of the passive components used. Waveform shaping required for a Class-F Power Amplifier is done using the stray inductances within a non-ideal transformer instead of individual inductors. This techniques effective reduces the foot prints of two inductors for the tuning network design and make a Fully-Integrated solution more practical.