High frequency power amplifier

• US 6,157,258 A
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ambrell Corporation (inTEST Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ameritherm, Inc. (inTEST Corporation)
• Inventors: Lincoln, Daniel J., Adishian, Gary C., Cunliffe, John, Sengillo, Robert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Patricia T.
• Application Number:
  US09/270,506
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 330/124 R, 330/295, 330/310, 330/311, 330/276, 330/269, 330/264
• US Class Current: 330/295
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/193 with field-effect devices H03F3/195 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/265 with field-effect transistors only

Abstract

A power amplifier that provides wide-band, high efficiency, high voltage, HF power amplification over a large dynamic operating range. In one embodiment, the power amplifier includes a driver amplifier, an intermediate power amplifier comprising a coherently combined array of two transistors, and a final power amplifier comprising a coherently combined array of multiple transistors. The two stage driver amplifier drives the intermediate power amplifier, which drives the final power amplifier. Preferably, because of the inherent linearity, dynamic range, and power limiting requirements, the driver amplifier includes two transistor devices that are of the silicon power bipolar type, operating in class A with classic common-emitter circuit configuration. Preferably, the transistors used in the intermediate power amplifier and the final power amplifier are MOSFETS operating in a non-classic DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.

Claims

1. An amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for producing a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude, comprising:

a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and

a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein

said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of an input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the amplifier, and

each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

2. The amplifier of claim 1, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

3. The amplifier of claim 1, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

4. The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

5. The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

6. The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

7. The amplifier of claim 6, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

8. The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

9. An amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for producing a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude, comprising:

a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and

a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein

said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of an input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the amplifier, and

each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

10. The amplifier of claim 9, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

11. The amplifier of claim 9, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

12. The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

13. The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

14. The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

15. The amplifier of claim 14, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

16. The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

17. A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising:

a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and

a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein

said final power amplifier comprises;

a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and

a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein

said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier, and

each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

18. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

19. The power amplifier of claim 18, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

20. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

21. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

22. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

23. The power amplifier of claim 22, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

24. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter.

25. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein the IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC.

26. The power amplifier of claim 25, wherein said high breakdown voltage transistors are MOSFETS.

27. The power amplifier of claim 26, wherein said MOSFETS are configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.

28. The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

29. A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising:

a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude;

a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein

said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter, and

said final power amplifier comprises;

a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and

a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein

said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier.

30. The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

31. The power amplifier of claim 30, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

32. The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

33. The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

34. The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

35. The power amplifier of claim 34, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

36. The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

37. The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein the IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC.

38. The power amplifier of claim 37, wherein said high breakdown voltage transistors are MOSFETS.

39. The power amplifier of claim 38, wherein said MOSFETS are configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.

40. The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

41. A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising:

a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and

a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein

said IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC, each of said two high breakdown voltage transistors being configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration, and

said final power amplifier comprises;

a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and

a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein

said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier.

42. The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

43. The power amplifier of claim 42, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

44. The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

45. The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

46. The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

47. The power amplifier of claim 46, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

48. The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

49. The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter.

50. The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

51. A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising:

a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and

a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein

said final power amplifier comprises;

a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and

a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein

said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier, and

each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

52. The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

53. The power amplifier of claim 52, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

54. The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

55. The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

56. The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

57. The power amplifier of claim 56, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

58. The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

59. The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter.

60. The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein the IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC.

61. The power amplifier of claim 60, wherein said high breakdown voltage transistors are MOSFETS.

62. The power amplifier of claim 61, wherein said MOSFETS are configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.