Amplifier Manual

Problem 6
DESIGN OF MICROWAVE AMPLIFIER
Objective:
 Select an appropriate topology of amplifier.
 Set up the Q-point of a transistor using load line analysis.
 Understanding the stability analysis and different types of gain circles.
 Design of an amplifier for maximum gain.
Amplifier can be categorized into two ways, such as small signal amplifier and large signal
amplifier depending upon applications. Small signal amplifier exhibits less non-linearity
because the peak-to-peak signal amplitude does not reach the saturation level of the transistor,
thus dissipating negligible harmonic power. Large signal amplifier exhibits high non-linearity
issues because of the clipping of signal amplitude and due to non-linearity of the active device.
This deformed waveform generates various orders of harmonic frequencies and thus efficiency
reduces. Low noise amplifier (LNA) shows the characteristics of small signal amplifier and
power amplifier (PA) shows that of large signal amplifier. In microwave and millimetre wave
transceiver systems, LNA is used in the receiving section to suppress the unwanted noise. PA
is used in the transmitter, before antenna, to boost the power and increase radiation through
antenna. After the LNA or before the PA, several amplifiers are cascaded those are known as
gain blocks. The amplifiers in the gain block usually operate as linear components.
Bias Tee Collector bias
Base bias
O/P RF out
matching
RF in Network
I/P matching
Network
Fig. 1. Block diagram of a RF amplifier.
Fig. 1 shows the block diagram of a RF amplifier. The collector and base bias for different
applications can be determined by the load line analysis. Fig. 2 shows the output characteristics
of an Infineon’s BFP650 transistor.
Fig 2. Output characteristics and load line analysis of the transistor amplifier.
Fig. 3 Collector-to-base bias DC circuit.
Design of a Fixed Gain Amplifier in ADS:

In this section, assume that the amplifier is working as a linear amplifier in class A
mode. The first step of amplifier design is to fix the dc Q-point. Depending on application
requirement, find suitable values for the ICQ and VCEQ from the datasheet of the amplifier.
Remember that S-parameters and the short-circuited unit current gain frequency fT depend on
the dc bias point. Fig. 3 shows a collector-to-base bias circuit without any bias tee. Any other
well-known dc biasing scheme such as base bias or voltage divider bias can be used. The bias
tee isolates the DC source from the RF input and output side. Add a bias tee, which you
designed under design problem 1.3, at the collector terminal.
(a) (b)
Fig. 4 (a) Palette for stability analysis and (b) example of stability circle for the load.
The first step of RF analysis is the stability analysis of the transistor over the given
frequency band. It also depends on dc bias condition. Setting the bias network, analyse S-
parameter of the two-port device for a frequency sweep keeping the design frequency in the
middle of the range.
In a new schematic window, one S-parameter setup is made. Load-stability and source-
stability circles are taken into the window from component palette’s Simulation S-param
section. In the data display window, plot the stability circles and check whether the transistor
is stable over the design frequency region. Stability analysis in ADS can be done by using the
palette components like StabFact and mu. These are analogous to K and µ value of the Rollete
condition. This condition is only valid for the unconditional stability of the transistor. If the
transistor is unstable then source and load stability circle has to be checked to find the stable
regions of the transistor to find the input and output impedances. The stability circles can be
created by using SStabCir() and LStabCir() as shown in Fig 4.
If the stability circle intersects with the outer circle of a Smith chart, then find the stable
region of operation. It can be verified from the S-parameter values of the transistor. This
situation is known as conditionally stable condition. To make the transistor unconditionally
stable, the stability circle should be outside the Smith chart. This can be achieved by using
various combinations of series and shunt resistor and/or capacitor at the input or output side.
An example is shown in Fig. 5, where a parallel RC combination is used in series with the
source. In the circuit, R part damps the low frequency instability and the C part retains the gain
in the high frequency stable region. Four popular topologies to make the transistor amplifier
Fig 5. Example of a stability network, which is connected at the input side.

stable are by using
a) Series R at the source side,
b) Shunt R at the source side,
c) Series R at the load side,
d) Shunt R at the load side.
Inclusion of this stability networks can make the gain fall from the desired value. Therefore,
maximum gain circle has to be plotted for different stability networks. The network, which
provides maximum gain, has to be taken into consideration.
Next, gain circles are plotted to find the maximum achievable gain of the transistor.
Different types of gain circle are defined in ADS. Examples are available gain circle, power
gain circle, source mismatch gain circle and load mismatch gain circle. As shown in Fig. 6, the
available gain circle GaCircle() and power gain circles Gpcircle() are used to find the
corresponding reflection co-efficient for maximum gain at the input and output side. For a
specified gain other than the maximum gain. It is suggested to fix the reflection co-efficient
near the centre of the Smith Chart by tuning the matching circuit. A fabricated amplifier is
shown in Fig. 7.
Fig 6. Gain circles and the gain palette.

Fig 7. Photograph of a fabricated amplifier (Instead of U-shape bandstop filter you can use L-
C bias tee if appropriate SMD components with models are available).
Summery:
Bias point of the transistor can be fixed by DC analysis of the transistor. Insert a
template of BJT curve tracer into a schematic window. Put the transistor and complete the
circuit connections. Then, define the sweeping parameters range. After completion of the
simulation, a data display window will pop up showing the output characteristics of the
transistor. With the help of equations, one load line can be drawn and different parameters of
dc load-line and corresponding ac load line can be calculated. Fixing the bias point, S-
parameter simulation is done to check the stability. In a new schematic window, one S-
parameter setup is made and load-stability and source stability circle items are taken into the
window from component palette’s Simulation S-param section. In the data display window,
plot the stability circles and check whether the transistor is stable. After making the transistor
stable, gain circle items are taken into the schematic window from the same palette. Draw the
circles for maximum gain and find the source and load impedance values for the maximum
gain. Design the conjugate matching networks using either the single stub matching process or
Smith chart matching process.
Design steps of the amplifier:

 Fix the dc bias points of the amplifier (suggested biasing scheme: collector-to-base
bias).
 Design the bias network including bias tee and verify that bias point values.
 Run S-parameter simulation for the stability analysis. Stable the transistor if required.
 Plot the gain circles of available gain and power gain for max gain.
 Take the values of either reflection co-efficient or the impedance from the gain plots
in Smith chart.
 Design the input and output matching networks.
 Optimize the design for the maximum gain.
 Check stability of the entire amplifier circuit.

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Problem 6

DESIGN OF MICROWAVE AMPLIFIER

Bias Tee Collector bias

Fig. 1. Block diagram of a RF amplifier.

Fig. 3 Collector-to-base bias DC circuit.

Design of a Fixed Gain Amplifier in ADS:

Fig 5. Example of a stability network, which is connected at the input side.

Fig 6. Gain circles and the gain palette.

Design steps of the amplifier:

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