Monolithic multilevel GaN converter for envelope tracking in RF power amplifiers
Monolithic multilevel GaN converter for envelope tracking in RF power amplifiers
复制标题
用于射频功率放大器中包络跟踪的单片多级 GaN 转换器
DOI：
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发表时间：
2016
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
D. Maksimović
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Alihossein Sepahvand;Parisa Momenroodaki;Yuanzhe Zhang;Z. Popovic;D. Maksimović
本文介绍了一种采用耗尽模式GaN工艺实现的单片多电平转换器，旨在用作高效射频（RF）功率放大器（PA）的漏极电源调制器（DSM）。定制原型芯片包括一个四电平功率级，具有片上集成栅极驱动器和阻尼网络，旨在减轻输出电压电平转换期间的寄生效应。以电平电压和最小开关间隔为优化变量，提出了一种最大化漏极供电系统效率的优化算法。单片多电平芯片被用来构建一个四电平变换器的原型。给出了跟踪8 MHz正弦波和10 MHz LTE包络信号的实验结果。转换器输出电压呈现快速且衰减良好的电平到电平瞬态。对于10 MHz LTE包络信号，该转换器在3.5 W平均输出功率水平下实现了大于97.3%的功率级效率。
This paper presents a monolithic multilevel converter realized in a depletion-mode GaN process and intended to operate as a drain supply modulator (DSM) for high efficiency radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs). The custom prototype chip includes a four-level power stage with on-chip integrated gate drivers and damping networks designed to mitigate effects of parasitics during output voltage level transitions. An optimization algorithm is described to maximize the drain supply system efficiency using the level voltages and a minimum switching interval as optimization variables. The monolithic multilevel chip is used to construct a four-level converter prototype. Experimental results are presented for tracking 8 MHz sine-wave and 10 MHz LTE envelope signals. The converter output voltage exhibits fast and well damped level-to-level transients. For the 10 MHz LTE envelope signal, the converter achieves greater than 97.3% power stage efficiency at 3.5 W average output power level.