RF Power Amplifier Design and Testing

1
RF Power Amplifier Design and Testing

• By Jonathan Lipski and Brandon Larison
• Advisor Dr. Shastry

2
Table of Applications
3
What is WiMax?

• Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access
• Primary purpose is to provide mobile broadband
  connectivity
• Much greater range than WiFi-(Wi-Fi on steroids)

4
First Approach

• Design Power Amplifier from scratch-Driver and
  Power
• Researched several possible applications for the
  amplifier
• Began looking for a suitable transistor for
  fabrication

5
Problems

• Needed model for appropriate transistor, could
  not find any
• Needed to rethink our design, not enough time to
  complete this design
• Chose new design

6
Power Amplifier Module
7
Connector Version
8
Integrated Version
9
Design Overview

• 2 Power Amplifiers and 2 Driver Amplifiers will
  be purchased-Eval Boards
• Additional circuitry will be designed in the lab
• Fabrication will either be done in lab or
  outsourced

10
Driver Amplifier

• Receives a small amount of input power, and
  amplifies

11
Power Amplifier

• Receives the output power of the Driver
  Amplifier, and further amplifies
• Amplifies the power to increase the range of a
  signal sent through the air

12
Option 1 Wilkinson Power Divider
13
Option 2 Branch Line Coupler
14
Testing Procedure

• Instrumentation cannot handle the power levels
  well be using
• Sampling
• S-Parameters, Linearity, Efficiency

15
Tasks

• Remainder of this semester-Order
  Amplifiers-Determine Architecture -Finalize
  Plans for next semester

16
Tasks

• Next Semester-Simulation with Eval
  Boards-Determine Fabrication Method-Fabricate-T
  est Connector Version-Fabricate Integrated
  Version-Test-Present Results

17
If time permits

• Look into Heat Dissipation

18
Tentative Work Schedule

• Week 1 Receive Ordered Parts
• Week 2 Simulation
• Week 3 Simulation
• Week 4 Fabrication
• Week 5 Fabrication
• Week 6 Fabrication
• Week 7 Testing
• Week 8 Testing
• Week 9 Spring Break
• Week 10 Analysis of Results
• Week 11 Presentation Preparation
• Week 12 Presentation Preparation
• Week 13 Presentation
• Week 14 Play
• Week 15 Play
• Week 16 Graduate

19
References

• Gonzalez, Guillermo. "4.7-4.8." Microwave
  Transistor Amplifiers Analysis and Design. Upper
  Saddle River, NJ Prentice Hall, 1997. 352-74.
  Print.
• Grebennikov, Andrei. "Power Amplifier Design
  Fundamentals More Notes from the Pages of
  History." High Frequency Electronics May 2010
  18-30.
• "High Power RF Amplifier." RF Power Amplifier
  Powerful Amplification. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
  lthttp//www.rfpoweramplifier.org/high_power_rf_amp
  lifier.htmlgt.
• "RF Power Amplifier." Wikipedia, the Free
  Encyclopedia. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
  lthttp//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RF_power_amplifiergt.

20
Questions?

• We may or may not have reasonable answers!