Development of feedforward RF power amplifier

Abstract

Electronic communication systems have become an integral part of our everyday lives. RF (Radio Frequency) power amplifiers form part of the fundamental building blocks of an electronic communication system. RF power amplifiers can also be one of the major causes of distortion in an electronic communication system. This thesis describes the linearity requirement for a RF power amplifier that is used in a transmitter section of an electronic communication system. Furthermore, five different linearisation techniques are presented and their characteristics compared. Since a power amplifier employing the Feedforward linearisation technique was designed, built and tested, this thesis focuses on the Feedforward technique. The design methods for the various Feedforward components are presented. The measured parameters of the Feedforward linearised amplifier are compared with the measured parameters of a non-linearised amplifier.