Design of a PWM driven continuous mode class F amplifier using harmonic load pull measurements

Abstract

This work outlines the design and construction of a continuous mode Class F amplifier using harmonic load pull measurements. To overcome the limits implied by the load pull setup a custom prematch was designed. With this design methodology an amplifier can be build without prior knowledge of the used device's behavior. To design the prematch and the matching networks the Simplified Real Frequency Technique (SRFT) has been applied. By using a commercially available GaN 10W HEMT transistor (Cree CGH40010F), an amplifier was designed and constructed to achieve 12.5% relative bandwidth at a center frequency of 2.5 GHz. Over this band the amplifier achieves an efficiency (PAE) greater than 65% with an average gain of 11.8 dB.