In recent years, there has been an extensive effort to develop low-cost implementations
of radio frequency integrated circuits for consumer applications. This thesis is a
research effort in the design and implementation of integrated RF CMOS Power Amplifiers
(PAs). A significant challenge in the implementation of RF CMOS ICs is the
impact of device, package and passive element parasitics on circuit performance. Passive
components are a critical part of any RF IC design, and a process optimized for digital
circuits results in inductors and capacitors with very high parasitics. In this work, we
have developed a compact model for inductors fabricated in a digital CMOS process.
Measured results have been used to further refine the accuracy of the inductor model.
This model has been used to predict the impact of inductor parasitics on the performance
of RFICs, and is also simple enough to be included in a CAD tool for circuit
optimization. We have also studied the operation of Class A, B and C power amplifiers
and highlighted design issues which are specific to the implementation of integrated
PAs. It is shown that inductor loss has the most critical impact on the performance of
integrated PAs. A custom CAD tool, based on the simulated annealing algorithm, has
been developed to optimize the performance of power amplifiers for maximum efficiency
in the presence of package, device and passive element parasitics. This CAD tool
simulates the process of load-pull to determine the optimum large-signal load impedance
for the PA, and optimizes the matching network design based on the trade-off
between the loss in the matching network and its impedance transformation properties.
This trade-off is relevant in the case of high-loss matching networks only, as is the case
in integrated RF CMOS ICs. This CAD tool has been used to optimize the efficiency of
balanced 100mW CMOS PAs operating at 900MHz. Measured results validate the
design and optimization process outlined in this work.
It is demonstrated that in the design of RF CMOS ICs, significant benefits can be
gained by incorporating parasitics into the design process by means of CAD optimization.
The CAD tool developed is an effort towards achieving this goal. It is further proposed
that CAD optimization is an essential part of the design of RF CMOS ICs in
general, and with the development of improved package, device and passive element
models, CAD optimization will replace the "tuning" of RF circuits and result in robust,
fully-integrated implementations of RF circuits. / Graduation date: 1999
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/33544 |
| Date | 07 July 1998 |
| Creators | Gupta, Ravi |
| Contributors | Allstot, David J. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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