Concurrent dual-band envelope tracking GaN PA design and its 2D shaping function characterization

This paper presents the design of a high-power dual-band power amplifier (PA) for envelope tracking (ET) operation and its characterization in concurrent dual-band ET operation modes. The design approach relies on the specific actual signal probability distribution and the prototype was conceived for the WCDMA 3GPP DL signals. The paper discusses the impact of the ET-shaping function influence on the linearity versus mean efficiency trade-off, for both single and concurrent dual-band cases. The technique was applied to a concurrent 870 and 2140 MHz ET-PA designed around a GaN HEMT device. The ET friendly design method led to performance very close to those observed at each single band. Over a bandwidth of 100 MHz and for PAR = 6.5 dB, the measured results reported a mean DE better than 71 and 54%, with a peak power higher than 55 and 54 dBm, at the two frequency bands, respectively. When evaluated in concurrent dual-band mode with two WDCMA signals at 6.5 dB PAR each, the ET-PA exhibited an estimated average total power of 49.5 dBm with 57.1% average drain efficiency.