Bob Mertens Applications Outphasing Transmitter for 2.45 Ghz ISM Band
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Design of an Efficient Textile Antenna Based Chireix Outphasing Transmitter for 2.45 GHz ISM Band Applications Bob Mertens Supervisors: Prof. dr. ir. Dries Vande Ginste, Prof. dr. ir. Johan Bauwelinck Counsellors: Ir. Gert-Jan Stockman, Ir. Martijn Huynen, Dr. ir. Guy Torfs, Ramses Pierco Master's dissertation submitted in order to obtain the academic degree of Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Department of Information Technology Chairman: Prof. dr. ir. Daniël De Zutter Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Academic year 2014-2015 Design of an Efficient Textile Antenna Based Chireix Outphasing Transmitter for 2.45 GHz ISM Band Applications Bob Mertens Supervisors: Prof. dr. ir. Dries Vande Ginste, Prof. dr. ir. Johan Bauwelinck Counsellors: Ir. Gert-Jan Stockman, Ir. Martijn Huynen, Dr. ir. Guy Torfs, Ramses Pierco Master's dissertation submitted in order to obtain the academic degree of Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Department of Information Technology Chairman: Prof. dr. ir. Daniël De Zutter Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Academic year 2014-2015 Preface This master's dissertation forms the last stage of a five-year journey at the Faculty of Engineer- ing and Architecture of Ghent University. During this last year, I've been assisted by many wonderful people, whom I like to thank here for their help. First of all, I would like to thank prof. dr. ir. D. Vande Ginste and prof. dr. ir. J. Bauwelinck for offering me the opportunity to carry out this thesis research at the Electromagnetics Group and the INTEC design group of the Department of Information Technology, and for providing me with the infrastructure and material to complete this research. Next, I cannot thank enough my two closest mentors, ir. Gert-Jan Stockman and ir. Martijn Huynen. Their unconditional assistance in both the design and measurements of the different system components was a great help and encouragement. Moreover, their feedback on my writing taught me a lot, and has lifted this master's thesis to a higher level. Special thanks goes to dr. ir. Guy Torfs and ir. Ramses Pierco for advising me in the design of the power amplifier. I am also very grateful for the help I received from ir. Sam Agneessens, ir. Sam Lemey and ir. Olivier Caytan in the design and measurement of the different textile antennas. I would also like to thank my fellow thesis students Piet, Thomas, Alexander, Jorn and Kristof for the laughs we had in the thesis computer room, often caused by one of the many visits by Niels. Furthermore, Matthias, Joris and Hannes have kept my head clear by joining me in many refreshing trips to the bakery. Together with Gilles, they have been my closest friends in the last years of this study, and I wish them all the best in their future lives. Last but certainly not least, my parents and girlfriend deserve special thanks for supporting me, not only during this last master year, but throughout my entire studies. They were the ones whom I could always rely on. Bob Mertens, May 2015 Admission to Loan The author gives permission to make this master's dissertation available for consultation and to copy parts of this master's dissertation for personal use. In the case of any other use, the limitations of the copyright have to be respected, in particular with regard to the obligation to state expressly the source when quoting results from this master dissertation. Bob Mertens, May 2015 Design of an Efficient Textile Antenna Based Chireix Outphasing Transmitter for 2.45 GHz ISM Band Applications by Bob Mertens Master's Dissertation submitted to obtain the academic degree of Master of Science in Electrical Engineering Academic 2014{2015 Promoters: Prof. dr. ir. Dries VANDE GINSTE, Prof. dr. ir. Johan BAUWELINCK Supervisors: ir. Gert-Jan STOCKMAN, ir. Martijn HUYNEN, dr. ir. Guy TORFS, ir. Ramses PIERCO Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Ghent University Department of Information Technology Chairman: Prof. Dr. Ir. Dani¨elDE ZUTTER Summary This master's dissertation encompasses the design of a Chireix outphasing transmitter, intended for operation in the 2:45 GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band. The outphas- ing technique is based on radio frequency (RF) synthesis and alleviates the trade-off between efficiency and linearity in conventional power amplifier (PA) techniques. In Chapter 1, the goal and motivation of this master's dissertation are presented. Subsequently, Chapter 2 describes the concept of the Chireix outphasing system. Two different topologies, i.e. the common-mode and differential-mode topology, are discussed and the efficiency enhancement of the Chireix outphasing technique is proven by calculating the theoretical efficiency in ideal circumstances. The design and measurement of a modified class B PA, which will operate in both topologies, is covered in Chapter 3. Chapter 4 is dedicated to the design of the passive elements in the Chireix outphasing system, namely the power combiner and single-feed patch antenna for the common-mode topology, and the dual-feed antenna for the differential-mode topology. In this chapter, the measurement results for the fabricated combiner and antennas are presented as well. The simulation and measurement of the total outphasing system is discussed in Chapter 5, both for the common-mode topology and the differential-mode topology. Lastly, conclusions about this master's dissertation and future work are presented in Chapter 6. Keywords High efficiency; outphasing; linear amplification using nonlinear components (LINC); radio fre- quency (RF) power amplifiers; transmitters; textile antenna Design of an Efficient Textile Antenna Based Chireix Outphasing Transmitter for 2.45 GHz ISM Band Applications Bob Mertens Supervisors: prof. dr. ir. D. Vande Ginste, prof. dr. ir. J. Bauwelinck, ir. G.-J. Stockman, ir. M. Huynen, dr. ir. G. Torfs and ir. R. Pierco Abstract— This master’s dissertation concerns the design of a Chireix outphasing transmitter, intended for operation in the 2:45 GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band. Two different topologies are con- sidered, the common-mode and differential-mode topology. A modified class B power amplifier (PA) is designed to operate in both topologies. Fur- thermore, a non-isolating power combiner and a single-feed textile antenna are created to form the common-mode topology, and a dual-feed textile an- tennas will be used in the differential-mode topology. The characteristics of the designed components are evaluated separately, and the complete out- phasing system’s behavior is carefully assessed. Fig. 1. Simplified diagram of an outphasing system. Keywords—High efficiency; outphasing; linear amplification using non- linear components (LINC); radio frequency (RF) power amplifiers; trans- mitters; textile antenna then amplify the constant envelope signals with high efficiency I. INTRODUCTION before they are combined at the output to produce an amplified HE growing need for high-capacity wireless communica- replica of the original input signal. Figure 1 illustrates this tech- Ttion systems has led to complex and bandwidth-efficient nique. Since the envelopes of signals S1(t) and S2(t) are fixed digital modulation schemes, increasing the linearity require- (the amplitude modulation is transferred to an oppositely mod- ments of the transmitter’s power amplifiers (PAs). The loss ulated phase variation in the two signals), they can be amplified of efficiency in conventional linear PA techniques has raised with highly efficient and nonlinear PAs. This is the key compo- the interest in alternative solutions to alleviate the trade-off be- nent of the efficiency enhancement achieved by the outphasing tween linearity and efficiency. In 1935, H. Chireix proposed technique. the outphasing PA [1] as a possible solution to improve the effi- The Chireix outphasing system can be implemented us- ciency and linearity of tube-era transmitter systems. This tech- ing two topologies: the common-mode topology and the nique enables the linear amplification using nonlinear compo- differential-mode topology. In the common-mode topology, a nents (LINC) and can be realized in two different topologies, positive power combiner is used, performing a summation of i.e. the common-mode and differential-mode topology. the two amplified constant envelope signals. In this case, the The goal of this master’s dissertation is to design a Chireix maximum envelope condition at the output is obtained when the outphasing transmitter, realized in both topologies, in the branches are in phase, and the low envelope condition is ob- 2:45 GHz industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio band. tained when the branches are in antiphase. For the differential- To this end, a modified class B PA is designed, as well as a loss- mode topology the reverse is true; a negative power combiner less, non-isolating combiner and two efficient textile antennas. is used, performing a subtraction of the two branches. Now, This abstract starts off with a short introduction to the out- the maximum envelope condition at the output is obtained when phasing system in Section II. The design and measurements of the branches are in antiphase and the low envelope condition the different parts in the outphasing system are discussed in Sec- is obtained when the branches are in phase. It is important tion III. Subsequently, the measurement results of the total out- to note that in both topologies, the combiner should be non- phasing system are presented in Section IV. Lastly, Section V isolating. The usage of such a non-isolating, lossless (and there- concludes this abstract and presents future work. fore not matched at all three ports) power combiner presents a time-varying load impedance to the PAs as the phase difference II. CHIREIX OUTPHASING between the branches alters. This is called load modulation and In the Chireix outphasing amplifier, a signal containing both is of crucial importance in the Chireix oupthasing system.