State-of-the- Art PA Design and Validation Requires a Signal Statistics Analysis and Proper Linearity Metrics

Advanced wireless communication systems demand high data-rates and efficient spectral usage, in short, they require complex modulation schemes, with complex statistics. To achieve the best Power Amplifier (PA) performance under modulated signal excitation, PA design must be supported by advanced models extracted from broadband linearity measurements. Therefore, in the first part of this talk, we propose a wideband modulated load-pull system based on Active Device Technology (ADT) characterization and show an efficient, reliable, and systematic approach to use it to obtain optimum load conditions according to the wideband modulated signal characteristics of any application of interest. But the lack of characterization standards can lead to different linearity metrics when using different benches, or different signals. So, in the second part of the talk, we discuss Noise Power Ratio (NPR), a key linearity performance indicator that the microwave measurement community must agree on how to measure. Here, we provide guidelines to address and overcome critical limitations of NPR, with emphasis on non-linear dynamic detection, and on achieving consistent linearity metric measurements across different benches, and test signals.