NXP Semiconductors was awarded the Best Industry Paper Award by the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS) 2021. They were awarded for the paper titled “Novel Continuous Inverse Class F Power Amplifier for High-Power 5G Macro Base Station Application.”
The paper aligns with NXP’s innovation in 5G and Gallium Nitride (GaN). One of the key findings of the paper is that input waveform engineering for power density enhancement is as significant as output waveform engineering and needs considerable attention. Power density enhancement of up to 45% can be achieved over significant fractional bandwidths while maintaining high efficiency with proper harmonic control. In conclusion, the prototype that was used, using a 24mm active GaN die, achieved high-power density (14.5 W/mm at 48V), high efficiency (75% max), and gain (19dB max) across 1.8 – 2.2 GHz.
Another point it brings up is that harmonically tuned GaN amplifiers have been shown to exhibit high-efficiency operation, but until recently, power density improvement has not been a target for waveform engineering. So far, this work has set a high record for power density of 14.5 W/mm reported using an active GaN on SiC NXP die, about 45% improvement from the typical 10 W/mm figure. This is beneficial to NXP because increasing the power density enhancement can help in minimizing the active GaN die size and reducing the overall manufacturing cost.
The theme for this year’s IMS was, “Connecting for a Smarter, Safer World,” which at NXP is something they strive for with “Secure Connections for a Smarter World.” IMS 2021 was a mix of live, in-person attendance in Atlanta, Georgia as well as virtual with attendees being able to view and hear pre-recorded papers.
Click here to access the recording of this paper that is available for those who registered for IMS.
Click here to view everything RF's coverage of the IMS 2021.
