WSG: CIRCUIT CHARACTERIZATION, MODELING AND TESTING: CAN IT REALLY BE DONE WITHOUT IMPEDANCE TUNE

Date & Time: Sunday, June 12; 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Location: Long Beach Convention Center, Room 202

Topics & Speakers: 

• Active and Passive Load Pull systems: From the basic to the future of variable impedance device characterization, A. Ferrero, Politecnico di Torino - Valeria Teppati, Politecnico di Torino - Chiara Soragna, PAF

• Active load pull tuning of active devices under modulated excitation, P. J. Tasker, Cardiff University

• Multi-Purpose, Multi-Probe Tuner for on-wafer Harmonic Tuning, C. Tsironis, Focus Microwave

• Using Load Pull in the Amplifier Design Process, G. Simpson, Maury Microwave
• Impedance Tuning is Critical for Device Characterization and Model Validation, M. Tutt, Freescale
• The Sense and No-Nonsense of Harmonic Loadpull for PA Design, S. C. Cripps  

Organizer: 

M. V. Bossche, NMDG Engineering

P. J. Tasker, Cardiff University

Sponsors:

MTT-11: Microwave Measurements  

At low frequencies active sub-circuits are mainly designed with low or high impedance input / output stages simplifying the realization of complete circuits and increasing the level of integration. At high - frequencies, supported by S-parameters, most design techniques are based on matched circuit design. This is valid for small - signal designs. But nowadays small - signal design is not adequate anymore. Transistors are squeezed in performance and exercised by signals that result in nonlinear effects. Therefore S-parameter techniques are not adequate. Also the heart of the higher power systems are transistors which are far from matched in 50 Ohms. Source and load-pull techniques and systems have been developed to exercise a component under non-50 Ohm conditions.  

This workshop starts with some presentations, giving an overview of actual systems that synthesize both source and load impedances. Both passive and active approaches are highlighted. After an update of existing techniques, reflections are given on the usefulness of impedance tuning in the design of amplification chains, on the use of source and load-pull systems in combination with design tools.