The IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS) 2021 recently awarded NXP the Best Industry Paper Award. Our paper is titled, “Novel Continuous Inverse Class F Power Amplifier for High-Power
5G Macro Base Station Application.”
This is exciting news! This research paper aligns with our innovation in 5G and Gallium Nitride (GaN). Some of our findings include: Harmonically tuned GaN amplifiers have been shown to exhibit
high-efficiency operation, but until recently, power density improvement has not been a target for waveform engineering. So far, this work has set a high record for power density of 14.5 W/mm
reported using an active GaN on SiC NXP die, about 45% improvement from the typical 10 W/mm figure. This is beneficial to NXP because increasing the power density enhancement can help in minimizing
the active GaN die size and reducing the overall manufacturing cost.
One of the key findings is that input waveform engineering for power density enhancement is as significant as output waveform engineering and needs considerable attention. Power density enhancement
of up to 45% can be achieved over significant fractional bandwidths while maintaining high efficiency with proper harmonic control. In conclusion, the prototype that was used, using a 24mm active
GaN die, achieved high-power density (14.5 W/mm at 48V), high efficiency (75% max), and gain (19dB max) across 1.8 – 2.2 GHz.
IMS Connecting Minds Exchanging Ideas
Who’s ready for the age of Connectivity? The theme for this year’s IMS was, “Connecting for a Smarter, Safer
World,” which at NXP is something we strive for with “Secure Connections for a Smarter World.” IMS 2021 was a mix of live, in-person attendance in Atlanta, Georgia as well as virtual with attendees
being able to view and hear pre-recorded papers. Please visit the IMS2021 website to access the recording of this paper, “Novel
Continuous Inverse Class F Power Amplifier for High-Power 5G Macro Base Station Application” that is available for those who registered for IMS.
Reach out to Jeffrey Roberts to find out more about high-power 5G macro PA design for base station applications.
