Conventional radio-frequency (RF) power amplifiers operating with wideband signals, such as wideband code-division multiple access (WCDMA) in the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) must be backed off considerably from their peak power level in order to control out-of-band spurious emissions, also known as "spectral regrowth." Adapting these amplifiers to wideband operation therefore entails larger size and higher cost than would otherwise be required for the same power output. An alternative solution, which is gaining widespread popularity, is to employ digital baseband predistortion ahead of the amplifier to compensate for the nonlinearity effects, hence allowing it to run closer to its maximum output power while maintaining low spectral regrowth. Recent improvements to the technique have included memory effects in the predistortion model, which are essential as the bandwidth increases. In this paper, we relate the general Volterra representation to the classical Wiener, Hammerstein, Wiener-Hammerstein, and parallel Wiener structures, and go on to describe some state-of-the-art predistortion models based on memory polynomials. We then propose a new generalized memory polynomial that achieves the best performance to date, as demonstrated herein with experimental results obtained from a testbed using an actual 30-W, 2-GHz power amplifier

A Generalized Memory Polynomial Model for Digital Predistortion of RF Power Amplifiers

Substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) technology represents an emerging and very promising candidate for the development of circuits and components operating in the microwave and millimetre-wave region. SIW structures are generally fabricated by using two rows of conducting cylinders or slots embedded in a dielectric substrate that connects two parallel metal plates, and permit the implementation of classical rectangular waveguide components in planar form, along with printed circuitry, active devices and antennas. This study aims to provide an overview of the recent advances in the modelling, design and technological implementation of SIW structures and components.

Review of substrate-integrated waveguide circuits and antennas

Preparing the books to read every day is enjoyable for many people. However, there are still many people who also don't like reading. This is a problem. But, when you can support others to start reading, it will be better. One of the books that can be recommended for new readers is computer aided analysis of electronic circuits algorithms and computational techniques. This book is not kind of difficult book to read. It can be read and understand by the new readers.

Computer-aided analysis of electronic circuits: Algorithms and computational techniques

An experimental technique is described for observing the effects of switching transients in digital MOS circuits that perturb analog circuits integrated on the same die by means of coupling through the substrate Various approaches to reducing substrate crosstalk (the use of physical separation of analog and digital circuits, guard rings, and a low-inductance substrate bias) are evaluated experimentally for a CMOS technology with a substrate comprising an epitaxial layer grown on a heavily doped bulk wafer Observations indicate that reducing the inductance in the substrate bias is the most effective Device simulations are used to show how crosstalk propagates via the heavily doped bulk and to predict the nature of substrate crosstalk in CMOS technologies integrated in uniform, lightly doped bulk substrates, showing that in such cases the substrate noise is highly dependent on layout geometry A method of including substrate effects in SPICE simulations for circuits fabricated on epitaxial, heavily doped substrates is developed >

Experimental Results and Modeling Techniques for Substrate Noise in Mixed-Signal Integrated Circuits

Before the emergence of ultra-wideband (UWB) radios, widely used wireless communications were based on sinusoidal carriers, and impulse technologies were employed only in specific applications (e.g. radar). In 2002, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) allowed unlicensed operation between 3.1–10.6 GHz for UWB communication, using a wideband signal format with a low EIRP level (−41.3dBm/MHz). UWB communication systems then emerged as an alternative to narrowband systems and significant effort in this area has been invested at the regulatory, commercial, and research levels.

IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques and Antennas and Propagation Announce a Joint Special Issue on Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Technology

The two popular and general purpose simulation techniques, Time Domain Integration and Harmonic Balance, do not fulfil the requirement for analysis of microwave communication systems with arbitrary modulated carrier frequency. A new technique is presented, which overcomes this default. A dramatic saving in computer memory space and computation time is obtained with respect to the previous methods.

Envelop transient analysis: a new method for the transient and steady state analysis of microwave communication circuits and systems

This paper presents a design method for phaselocked devices such as frequency dividers or injection-locked oscillators. The method requires a full nonlinear analysis of the circuit. This analysis relies upon harmonic balance techniques and is suitable for monolithic circuits simulation. First, a modified formulation of the general harmonic balance equation is proposed which includes the presence of probes. These probes allow us to suppress the degenerated solution of the HB equation in autonomous cases. Moreover, a global stability analysis of phaselocked regimes is carried out. It provides invaluable information on the nonlinear behavior of the device. In particular, synchronization bandwidths as well as power ranges for which the circuit can be synchronized are obtained from the stability loci drawn in the parameter space. All these features have been used to design a broadband monolithic frequency divider, and the simulated and experimental results have been compared with very good accuracy. Therefore, the method proposed is a very useful tool for the design of potentially unstable circuits. >

Large signal design of broadband monolithic microwave frequency dividers and phase-locked oscillators

Accurate system level simulation is indispensable for efficient RF communication system design. However system level models of nonlinear circuits are today very limited by their inability to handle nonlinear memory effects. The paper describes a new approach of system-level modeling which accounts efficiently for nonlinear envelope memory effects of wideband amplifiers, multipliers and mixers.

Accurate RF and microwave system level modeling of wideband nonlinear circuits

Accurate and non quasi-static behavioral models of SSPAs taking into account nonlinear memory effects become of prime importance for a breakthrough in system level analysis and design of wideband digital communication systems. This paper describes a new method to characterize and integrate memory effects in nonlinear behavioral models of SSPAs allowing to reproduce both transient and steady state behaviors.

A new behavioral model taking into account nonlinear memory effects and transient behaviors in wideband SSPAs

This article presents a practical and effective method to analyze the steady state regimes, periodic or quasi-periodic, and the stability of free and forced oscillators, based on the use of voltage and current probes. The efficiency of this method comes from the fact that it converts the analysis of an autonomous circuit into the analysis of a series of closely related nonautonomous circuits, which in turn relies on the power of the harmonic balance equation for these kinds of systems. The effectiveness of the method is shown by full analysis of a practical example.

Edouard Ngoya

Papers

Envelop transient analysis: a new method for the transient and steady state analysis of microwave communication circuits and systems

Large signal design of broadband monolithic microwave frequency dividers and phase-locked oscillators

Accurate RF and microwave system level modeling of wideband nonlinear circuits

A new behavioral model taking into account nonlinear memory effects and transient behaviors in wideband SSPAs

Steady state analysis of free or forced oscillators by harmonic balance and stability investigation of periodic and quasi-periodic regimes