Asymmetrically biased high linearity balanced amplifier

• US 20020186079A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Kevin W.
• Application Number:
  US09/878,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20020186079A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/124R
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0288 using a main and one or several auxiliary peaking amplifiers whereby the load is connected to the main amplifier using an impedance inverter, e.g. Doherty amplifiers

Abstract

A microwave amplifier and more particularly to a microwave amplifier configured as a Doherty amplifier. In particular, the amplifier includes a carrier amplifier, a peak amplifier a Lange coupler at the input of the amplifiers and quarter wave amplifier at the output of the amplifiers. In order to improve isolation between the amplifiers to minimize the dependence of each amplifier'"'"'s inter-modulation (IM) performance on the others, matching networks are provided, coupled to the output of the amplifiers. In addition, the microwave power amplifier includes electronic tuning which allows for improved inter-modulation distortion over a wide input power dynamic range, which allows the IM performance of the microwave amplifier to be adjusted for the operating frequency of the amplifier.

Claims

1. A microwave power amplifier comprising:

an input RF port

a carrier amplifier having a first input and a first output

a peak amplifier having a second input and a second output, said carrier amplifier and said peak amplifier being symmetrically biased;

a coupling device for coupling said first and second inputs of said carrier amplifier and said peak amplifier to said RF input port; and

an output terminal, said first and second outputs coupled to said output terminal.

2. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 1, wherein one or the other of said carrier and peak amplifiers includes a biasing network configured to enable the biasing of said one or the other of said carrier and peak amplifiers to be varied.

3. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 2, wherein said biasing network includes an external source of DC voltage which enables the biasing of said one or the other of said carrier and peak amplifiers to be varied by varying the amplitude of said DC voltage to provide electronic tuning of said amplifier.

4. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 3, wherein the other of said one or the other of said carrier and peak amplifiers includes a biasing network which provides electronic tuning of the other of said one or the other of said carrier amplifier and said peak amplifier.

5. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 1, further including one or more matching networks.

6. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 5, wherein said one or more matching networks include a series impedance selected to prevent loading of said carrier amplifier by said peak amplifier.

7. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 6, wherein said series impedance is a transmission line.

8. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 6, wherein said series impedance is an inductance.

9. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 6, wherein said one or more matching networks also includes a shunt impedance, coupled to said series impedance.

10. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 9, wherein said shunt impedance is a capacitor.

11. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 9, wherein said shunt impedance is an open stub.

12. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 5, further including an impedance transformer coupled between said one or more matching networks and said RF output terminal.

13. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 12, further including an output impedance coupled between said RF output terminal and said impedance transformer.

14. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 1, wherein said coupler is a Lange coupler having first and second input terminals and first and second output terminals, said first input terminal defining said RF input port and said second input terminal coupled to an input termination impedance.

16. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 15, wherein said adjusting means is configured to enable the bias points of the least one of said carrier amplifier and said peak amplifier to be adjusted externally.

17. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 15, further including one or more matching networks disposed between said output of said peak amplifier and said carrier amplifier.

19. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 18, wherein said biasing means includes a biasing network configured to enable the biasing of said one or the other of said carrier and peak amplifiers to be varied.

20. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 19, wherein said biasing network includes an external source of DC voltage which enables the biasing of said one or the other of said carrier and peak amplifiers to be varied by varying the amplitude of said DC voltage to provide electronic tuning of said amplifier.

21. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 20, wherein the other of said one or the other of said carrier and peak amplifiers includes a biasing network which provides electronic tuning of the other of said one or the other of said carrier amplifier and said peak amplifier.

22. The microwave power amplifier as recited in claim 18, further including one or more matching networks.

15. A microwave power amplifier comprising:

an RF input port;

an RF output port

a carrier amplifier having a first input and a first output;

a peak amplifier having a second input and a second output;

a coupling device for coupling said first and second inputs to said RF input part; and

said first and second outputs to said RF output port;

means for adjusting the bias of at least one of said carrier amplifier and peak amplifier such that said peak amplifier and said carrier amplifier are asymmetrically biased.

18. A microwave power amplifier comprising:

an input RF port

a carrier amplifier having a first input and a first output;

a peak amplifier having a second input and a second output;

a coupling device for coupling said first and second inputs of said carrier amplifier and said peak amplifier to said RF input port;

an output terminal, said first and second outputs coupled to said output terminal; and

means for asymmetrically biasing said carrier amplifier and said peak amplifier.