Estimation of RF PA nonlinearities after cross-correlating power supply current and output voltage

Abstract

The present paper describes developments carried-out on estimating 1 dB compression and third-order intercept points after the cross-correlation between power supply dynamic current and output voltage of radio-frequency power amplifier. The underlining theory and a circuit that allows implementing this measurement on-chip are presented. Simulation results, including the analysis of optimum stimuli amplitudes and the Monte Carlo analysis to circuits' process variations are presented. These show that good accuracy can be obtained with relatively simple measurement conditions.