Millimeter Wave Power Amplifier Voltage Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
At millimeter wave frequencies, the small electrical and physical non-uniformities in amplifiers lead to differences in amplifier behavior, resulting in unequal amplitudes and phases of output signals, which degrade power combining efficiency in parallel amplifier configurations.
Innovation Solution
The mm wave power amplifier design includes multiple amplifiers with independently variable VDS and VGS voltage sources, allowing for individual adjustment of amplifier behavior by varying these voltages, and a controller to optimize voltage settings based on signal frequency, ensuring equal amplitude and phase alignment of output signals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If all amplifiers are connected to common VDS and VGS voltage sources to ensure identical behavior, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but at millimeter wave frequencies this results in degraded power combining efficiency due to amplifier non-uniformities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the common voltage source into multiple independent voltage sources, with each amplifier having its own VDS and VGS voltage sources. This segmentation allows independent adjustment of each amplifier's operating parameters to compensate for manufacturing non-uniformities and frequency-dependent variations at millimeter wave frequencies, thereby maintaining high power combining efficiency without requiring overly complex matching networks.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by allowing independent variation of VDS and VGS voltage parameters for each amplifier. This enables dynamic adjustment of amplifier operating points to compensate for frequency-dependent behavior changes at millimeter wave frequencies, ensuring optimal power combining efficiency across the operating bandwidth without increasing structural complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If amplifiers are manufactured to be identical to ensure equal amplitude and phase output, then manufacturing precision is improved, but this approach is expensive and produces little improvement at millimeter wave frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of relying on high manufacturing precision to ensure identical amplifiers, the patent uses parameter changes by providing independent voltage sources that allow post-manufacturing adjustment of each amplifier's operating characteristics. This compensates for manufacturing variations without requiring expensive high-precision manufacturing processes, making the system more cost-effective while maintaining performance at millimeter wave frequencies.
3Reliability
If independent voltage sources are provided for each amplifier to compensate for non-uniformities, then power combining efficiency is improved, but device complexity and control difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the voltage supply system into independent sources for each amplifier, which enables precise control of individual amplifier behavior. This segmentation strategy achieves high power combining efficiency by allowing independent optimization of each amplifier's output amplitude and phase, while the modular nature of the segmented architecture keeps the increase in device complexity manageable.
4Ease of operation
If independent voltage sources are used for each amplifier, then ease of operation is reduced due to multiple voltage settings, but this enables compensation for amplifier differences at millimeter wave frequencies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes through independent voltage sources to enable dynamic adjustment of each amplifier's operating parameters. This allows the system to compensate for amplifier differences and maintain consistent performance across all amplifiers, improving reliability. The ability to independently tune VDS and VGS parameters provides the flexibility needed to match amplifier characteristics despite initial variations.
Data Source
AI summary
A millimeter (mm) wave power amplifier includes a plurality of amplifiers, each amplifier including an amplifying FET including a gate, drain and source. The mm wave power amplifier also includes an input port, an output port, a VDS port being connected to a VDS voltage source for setting the drain-source voltage of the FET, and a VGS port being connected to a VGS voltage source for setting the gate-source voltage of the FET. The output ports of the amplifiers are connected to a signal combiner and the input ports of the amplifiers are connected to a signal splitter. At least one of (a) at least two of the VGS ports are connected to different VGS voltage sources, and (b) at least two of the VDS ports are connected to different VDS voltage sources.