Broadband Power Combining Circuit for Wideband RF Amplifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high power amplifiers face challenges in achieving efficient power combining over a wide bandwidth, with most designs providing either limited bandwidth or degraded efficiency, and lack a generalized solution for voltage/current division and combination among multiple active devices.
Innovation Solution
A compact and robust circuit synthesis method that uses multiple low-power transistors to design a broadband power combining amplifier, achieving 100% power combining efficiency by defining and optimizing voltage or current transfer functions across a given frequency range, allowing for efficient power delivery and reduced cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional power combining approaches are used, then power amplification is achieved, but bandwidth is limited and power combining efficiency is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the power amplification function into multiple independent low-power transistors operating in parallel, each handling a portion of the total power. This segmentation allows each transistor to operate efficiently while the combined output achieves high power levels across wide bandwidth, resolving the contradiction between power efficiency and bandwidth adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal power combining architecture that can operate across wide bandwidth frequencies while maintaining high efficiency through optimized voltage/current transfer functions. The circuit topology is designed to be frequency-agnostic, providing adaptable performance across RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave bands simultaneously
2Power
If multiple low-power transistors are used for power combining, then power level is increased, but circuit complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple low-power transistor outputs through a unified combining network with optimized transfer functions, achieving high power levels while maintaining manageable circuit complexity. The merging approach consolidates the individual transistor outputs into a single high-power output channel through systematic voltage or current combining
3Adaptability or versatility
If wide bandwidth response is achieved through conventional methods, then frequency range is extended, but power combining efficiency is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of voltage and current transfer functions to optimize power combining efficiency across wide bandwidth. By systematically adjusting these transfer function parameters, the circuit maintains high efficiency at all frequency points within the operating band, eliminating the traditional trade-off between bandwidth and efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A broadband power combining method comprises the steps of converting desired voltage or current relation over a specified frequency band to specified polynomial transfer equation; steps of formulating the said specified polynomial transfer equation and extracting the coefficients of the denominator polynomial functions; steps of comparing the said voltage/current transfer function in first step with the design goal to decide if the design criteria is met; and a multiple-device power combining amplifier using same method is presented. This invention presents an automated method for the designing high power multiple-device amplifier based on a compact, robust and easily extendable combining circuit-synthesis method. By using multiple low-power transistors and the proposed circuit synthesis method, this broadband power combining amplifier can provide high power level with 100% power combining efficiency over any given wide bandwidth, thereby allowing for high-speed communication with less power consumption at lower cost when used in cellular or satellite transceiver systems.