RF Transistor Amplifier

Design
Amplifier Characteristics:

[Generic Amplifier System]

The input and output matching networks are needed to reduce undesired
reflections and thus improve the power flow capabilities.

The amplifier is characterized through its S-matrix at a particular DC-bias point.

The performance of the RF amplifier depend on the following key parameters:

• Gain and gain flatness (in dB)

• Operating frequency and bandwidth (in Hz)
• Output power (in dBm)
• Power supply requirements (in V and A)
• Input and output reflection coefficients (VSWR)
• Noise figure (in dB)

To approach the amplifier design process systematically, we need first to

establish a number of definitions regarding various power relations.
Amplifier Power Relations:

Let us assume that the two matching networks are included in the source and
load impedances.
For the source voltage:

This is the power launched toward the amplifier.

The actual input power Pin observed at the input terminal of the amplifier is
composed of the incident and reflected power waves.
So

Under maximum power transfer condition, the available power PA is defined

as:
Transducer Power Gain:
The transducer power gain GT, which quantifies the gain of the amplifier placed
between source and load, is defined as:

But

Putting the value of PL, we obtain:

In this expression, the ratio b2/bS has to be determined.

From the signal flow diagram:

So

This results in:

This expression for GT can be rearranged by defining the input and output
reflection coefficients:

⇒
⇒
Putting the values of GT, PA, and Pin, we have:
Stability Consideration of RF Transistor Amplifiers
Stability then implies that the magnitudes of the reflection coefficients are less
than unity.

Namely, (1)

(2)

(3)

where

Because
Since the S-parameters are fixed for a particular frequency, the only factors that
have a parametric effect on the stability are ΓL and ΓS.

In terms of amplifier’s output port, we need to establish the condition for which
eqn. (2) is satisfied.

Let us write the complex quantities in terms of their real and imaginary parts:

Substituting these in eqn. (2) results in (after some algebra)

[output stability circle equation]

The circle radius is:

Center of the circle is located at

[output stability circle plotted in ΓL plane]

Similarly substituting the equations in eqn. (3) we can have the equation for the
input stability circle as:

[input stability circle equation]

with

[input stability circle plotted in

ΓS plane]
Interpretation of Output Stability Circle:

[Output stability
circles denoting
stable and
unstable regions]
[Input stability circles denoting stable and unstable regions]
Unconditional Stability
Let us concentrate on |ΓS| = 1 circle.
It can be shown that the second condition can be re-expressed in terms of the
stability or Rollett factor k:
Plotting |ΓS| = 1 in the Γout plane produces a circle whose center is located at

and which possesses a radius of

The eqn. for Cs can be rewritten as:

Employing |CS| + rS < 1 and the equation for rs, it can be seen that:
As long as |∆| < 1 the condition

remains the sufficient requirement to ensure unconditional stability.

Stabilization Methods
Constant Gain
Besides ensuring stability, the need to obtain a desired gain performance is another
important consideration in the amplifier design task.

Case I: Unilateral Design (S12 ≈ 0)

GS and GL are gains associated with input and output matching networks and G0 is
the insertion gain of the transistor.

Under conjugately matched (maximum gain) conditions:

The normalized gain factors are given by:

In order to get the parametric curves of constant gain, this equation have to be
written for the reflection coefficient Γi.

The result is a set of circles with center locations at

and radii of size

Example Problem:

Solution:
Example Problem:

Solution:
Unilateral Figure of Merit
The unilateral design approach involves the approximation that the feedback effect,
or the reverse gain, of the amplifier is negligible (S12 = 0)

To estimate the error due to this assumption, the ratio between the transducer gain
GT, which takes into account S12, and the unilateral transducer gain GTU can be
formed.

Therefore, the above equation becomes:

This can be used to set bounds on the error fluctuation

U is known as frequency dependent unilateral figure of merit:

To justify a unilateral amplifier design approach, this figure of merit should be as

small as possible.

In the limit, as GT approaches GTU for the ideal case of S12 = 0, we see that the error
does indeed vanish (i.e., U = 0).
Case II: Bilateral Design
For many practical applications the unilateral approach may not be appropriate
because the error committed by setting S12 = 0 could result in an intolerably
imprecise design.

The bilateral design takes into account this feedback.

Instead of the unilateral matching Γ *S = S11 and Γ *L = S22, it deals with the
complete equations for the input and output reflection coefficients.

It requires a simultaneous conjugate match, which means that matched source and
load reflection coefficients ΓMS and ΓML have to be found that satisfy both coupled
equations.
Starting from these two equations, we see that

(1)
(2)

Solving eqn.(1) for ΓL yields

(3)

Substituting eqn.(3) in eqn. (2) results (after some algebra), in

⇒ (4)

where
The solution of the standard quadratic equation (4) is

[Matched source reflection

coefficient] (5)

The –ve sign in front of the square root is picked to ensure stability (k > 1)

[Matched load reflection (6)

Similarly coefficient]

where

The solutions (5) and (6) are derived under the assumption of unconditional stability.
With eqns. (5) and (6), the optimal matching can be rewritten as

and
Design of an Amplifier for a Predetermined Gain:

For the situation where the reverse gain of S12 cannot be neglected, the
input impedance is dependent on the load reflection coefficient.

Conversely, the output impedance becomes a function of the source

reflection coefficient.

Because of this mutual coupling, the unilateral approach is not appropriate

to design an amplifier for a predetermined gain.

In the bilateral case, which takes into account the mutual coupling between
input and output ports, there are two alternative design methods to develop
amplifiers with a specified gain.
1st Method:
It is based on the use of operating power gain G.

Here we attempt to find the load reflection coefficient ΓL, assuming that the source
is complex conjugate matched to the input reflection coefficient (ΓS = Γ *in).

This method yields an input voltage standing wave ratio of VSWRin = 1.

2nd Method:
It is based on the use of available power gain GA.

In this case we assume perfect match on the output side of the amplifier
(ΓL = Γ *out) and the load is chosen in such a way as to satisfy the gain requirement.

This method is preferable if the output standing wave ratio is unity (VSWRout = 1).
1st Method: Operating Power Gain

The factor g0 defines a proportionality factor given by:

The above equation can be rewritten in terms of a circle equation for the load
reflection coefficient ΓL, that is,
with k denoting the Roulette stability factor.
2nd Method: Available Power Gain

In those cases where perfect matching on the output side of the amplifier is
required (VSWRout = 1), the available power gain approach should be used instead
of the operating gain method.

Just like the previous method, in this situation a constant available gain circle
equation can be derived.

The result of such a derivation is a circle equation which related the source
reflection coefficient to the desired gain:
Multistage Amplifiers