Linear CMOS RF Power Amplifiers: A Complete Design Workflow [Paperback]

The work establishes the design flow for the optimization of linear CMOS power amplifiers from the first steps of the design to the final IC implementation and tests. The authors also focuses on design guidelines of the inductors geometrical characteristics for power applications and covers their measurement and characterization. Additionally, a model is proposed which would facilitate designs in terms of transistor sizing, required inductor quality factors or minimum supply voltage. The model considers limitations that CMOS processes can impose on implementation. The book also provides different techniques and architectures that allow for optimization.

Introduction.- Requirements of wireless standards.- Transmit output power levels.- Digital modulation considerations.- CMOS transceivers.- Impact of the Power Amplifier in the transceiver performance.- Power amplifier integration considerations.- Organization of the book.- CMOS performance issues.- Breakdown voltage phenomena.- Hard breakdown.- Soft breakdown.- Output load.- Optimum load concept.- Conjugate vs. load match.- Knee voltage effect.- Substrate losses in CMOS.- Current limits in CMOS.- Power Amplifier metrics.- AM-AM distortion.- Saturated power (PSAT) and 1dB compression point (P1dB).- Effect of the PSAT and P1dB on digital modulation.- Output third-order intercept point (OIP3).- AM-PM distortion.- Effect of the AM-PM distortion.- Digital channel metrics.- Spectral regrowth.- Error vector magnitude.- Efficiency metrics.- Drain efficiency.- Power Added Efficiency.- Power capability.- CMOS integration useful architectures.- Integrated CMOS Power combination.- Magnetic coupling.- Simple parallel combination.- Doherty Power Amplifier Solutions.- Dynamic Supply.- Digital predistortion.- Cascode transistor.- Thick oxide transistors.- Self-biased cascode Power Amplifiers.- RF Power Amplifier Fundamentals.- Linear and non-linear Power Amplifiers.- Current-source mode Power Amplifiers.- Class A Power Ampll)