Linearity-Enhanced Quasi-Balanced Doherty Power Amplifier With Mismatch Resilience Through Series/Parallel Reconfiguration for Massive MIMO

A reconfigurable series/parallel quasi-balanced Doherty power amplifier (QB-DPA) is presented with a unique capability of maintaining high linearity and high efficiency against load mismatch, which is highly desirable for massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and active array applications. B...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on microwave theory and techniques 2021-04, Vol.69 (4), p.2319-2335
Main Authors: Lyu, Haifeng, Cao, Yuchen, Chen, Kenle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Balanced amplifier
Circuits
Couplers
Doherty power amplifier (DPA)
Electrical impedance
Impedance
Linearity
load mismatch
Loaded antennas
Loading
Massive MIMO
Power amplifiers
Reactance
reconfigurable
Reconfiguration
Resilience
Susceptance
Topology
Transistors
Voltage standing wave ratios
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Summary:A reconfigurable series/parallel quasi-balanced Doherty power amplifier (QB-DPA) is presented with a unique capability of maintaining high linearity and high efficiency against load mismatch, which is highly desirable for massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and active array applications. Based on the new QB-DPA topology derived from an ideal balanced amplifier, it is, for the first time, discovered that QB-DPA can be reconfigured between series- and parallel-DPA modes by setting the isolation-port loading to the ground and open circuit, respectively, and exchanging the roles of main and auxiliary amplifiers. Expanding from the ideal Doherty modes, the isolation port can be loaded with small reactance (susceptance) for linearity enhancement of series (parallel) QB-DPA. Furthermore, by leveraging the symmetry of series and parallel modes with complementary sensitivities to load impedance/admittance, it is theoretically proved that the QB-DPA can be strongly mismatch-resilient. Based upon the comprehensive and conclusive theoretical analysis, a physical prototype demonstration is practically presented using the GaN technology at 3.5 GHz. In modulated measurement using Long-Term Evolution (LTE) signals, the developed QB-DPA exhibits excellent linearity, e.g.,
ISSN:0018-9480
1557-9670
DOI:10.1109/TMTT.2021.3056488