Author:

Keywords:

cmos, power amplifiers, power combining, power control, distributed active-transformer, power-amplifier, transmitter, Science & Technology, Technology, Engineering, Electrical & Electronic, Engineering, CMOS, DISTRIBUTED ACTIVE-TRANSFORMER, POWER-AMPLIFIER, 0204 Condensed Matter Physics, 0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 1099 Other Technology, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, 4009 Electronics, sensors and digital hardware

Abstract:

In this paper, a fully integrated 0.13-mu m CMOS RF power amplifier for Bluetooth is presented. Four differential amplifiers are placed on a single chip and their outputs are combined with an on-chip LC balun structure. This technique allows to have a low impedance transformation ratio for each individual amplifier, and thus a lower power loss. The amplifier achieves a measured output power of 23 dBm at a supply voltage of 1.5 V and a drain efficiency of 35% and a global efficiency of 29%. The parallel amplification topology allows to efficiently control the output power which results in an efficiency improvement when the output power is reduced.