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A multimode CMOS PA with a single propagation path

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Abstract

In this paper a four mode 130 nm RF CMOS power amplifier (PA) in a single propagation path topology is presented and evaluated with IEEE 802.11ax signals. Specifically, this configuration is supported by three main concepts: scaling of the supply voltage, consecutive voltage amplifications and selection of the operation modes of transistors (saturation or triode). The concept is tested at 2.4 GHz and the obtained post-layout simulation results are reported. The four efficiency profiles of the proof-of-concept are: N4S3A1 (common-source), low-power (N4S2A2), medium-power (N4S1A3), and high-power (N4S0A4). For each of those modes the 1 dB output compression point (OCP\(_\text {1dB}\)) and the power added efficiency (PAE) at OCP\(_\text {1dB}\) are evaluated with the following results, respectively: 17.5 dBm and 23 % (N4S3A1); 16.8 dBm and 28.1 % (N4S2A2), 18.1 dBm and 28.9 % (N4S1A3), and 19.9 dBm and 25.7 % (N4S0A4). In terms of process–voltage–temperature analysis, the worst and best performances obtained for OCP\(_\text {1dB}\) and PAE at OCP\(_\text {1dB}\) are: 13.9 dBm and 16.8 dBm, 13.6 % and 29.3 % (N4S3A1); 15.4 dBm and 19.3 dBm, 20.3 dBm and 40.7 % (N4S2A2); 16.7 dBm and 19.3 dBm, 21.7 % and 36.6 % (N4S1A3); 19.2 and 21.2, 18.9 % and 36 % (N4S0A4). As for IEEE 802.11ax signals under 16 QAM operation (MCS4), the PA performs an output power at limit EVM (-19 dB) for modes N4S3A1, N4S2A2, N4S1A3, and N4S0A4 of: 14.7 dBm, 15.3 dBm, 16.7 dBm, and 17.8 dBm.

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Notes

  1. Graphically determined.

  2. Analysis based on the low frequency, four terminal, simplified small-signal model for MOST [13] with \(C_{gd}\), \(C_{gb}\), \(C_{bd}\), \(C_{bs}\), and drain to source and body to source currents all equal to zero. Source and body terminals are shorted.

  3. A cascode with stack height equals two

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Acknowledgements

This work has been partially supported by CNPq and CAPES, Finance Code 001.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

    Fávero G. Santos, Bernardo R. B. de A. Leite & André A. Mariano

  2. Group of Integrated Circuits and Systems (GICS), Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

    Fávero G. Santos, Bernardo R. B. de A. Leite & André A. Mariano

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  1. Fávero G. Santos
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  2. Bernardo R. B. de A. Leite
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  3. André A. Mariano
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Correspondence to Fávero G. Santos.

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Santos, F.G., Leite, B.R.B.d.A. & Mariano, A.A. A multimode CMOS PA with a single propagation path. Analog Integr Circ Sig Process 108, 421–435 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10470-021-01886-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10470-021-01886-z

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