A Ku-Band Input Harmonically Tuned Class-F GaAs MMIC Power Amplifier Achieving 28.4-dBm Psat and 56% Peak PAE

This paper presents a Ku-band input harmonically tuned Class-F GaAs MMIC power amplifier (PA). The PA incorporates a simplified class-F output matching network (CF-OMN) using short-length transmission lines to minimize a size and output loss. In addition, a new coupled-line-based harmonic tuning circuit (CHTC) is proposed to adjust both second and third harmonic impedances at the PA input for enhancing efficiency and linearity. The PA has a core area of 2.69 × 1.67 mm2 and delivers a Psat of 28.1–28.4 dBm, P1dB of 27.7–28 dBm, a peak power added efficiency (PAE) of 54.1–56%, and 6-dB back-off PAE of 28.1–29.3% in frequency band from 12.5 to 13.5 GHz. For the 64-QAM OFDM signals at an adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) of -30 dBc, an average output power (Pavg) ranges from 21.3 to 21.8 dBm, and an average PAE (PAEavg) varies from 28.6 to 29.6% over the carrier frequencies.