BioFusion Journal of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
Pulse-Width Modulation Class-D Radio-Frequency Power Amplifier (RF PA)
Abstract
Ayeoribe Olarewaju Peter
Power Electronics applications have long employed switching techniques including pulse-width and pulse-density modulation. Because semiconductor technology is growing so quickly, blocks in the radio architecture may benefit from similar strategies. The implementation of a class-D power amplifier for radiofrequency applications in low-GHz frequency bands is described in this paper. We explain why linear amplitude modulation of a nominally nonlinear switching power amplifier is desirable through the use of pulse-density modulation (PDM). With a peak efficiency of 43.5% at 1.95GHz and an output power of up to 20dBm, the amplifier achieves linearity appropriate for wideband wireless standards. The system produces amplitude-modulated waveforms with an envelope bandwidth of up to 20MHz, proving the applicability of this method for contemporary communication standards.