Design Architectures of the CMOS Power Amplifier for 2.4 Ghz
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electronics Review Design Architectures of the CMOS Power Amplifier for 2.4 GHz ISM Band Applications: An Overview Mohammad Arif Sobhan Bhuiyan 1,* , Md Torikul Islam Badal 2,3, Mamun Bin Ibne Reaz 3, Maria Liz Crespo 4 and Andres Cicuttin 4 1 Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Bandar Sunsuria, Sepang 43900, Selangor, Malaysia 2 Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; [email protected] 3 Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia; [email protected] 4 International center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Via Beirut 31, 34100 Trieste, Italy; [email protected] (M.L.C.); [email protected] (A.C.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +60-182851-271 Received: 20 February 2019; Accepted: 1 April 2019; Published: 29 April 2019 Abstract: Power amplifiers (PAs) are among the most crucial functional blocks in the radio frequency (RF) frontend for reliable wireless communication. PAs amplify and boost the input signal to the required output power. The signal is amplified to make it sufficiently high for the transmitter to propagate the required distance to the receiver. Attempted advancements of PA have focused on attaining high-performance RF signals for transmitters. Such PAs are expected to require low power consumption while producing a relatively high output power with a high efficiency. However, current PA designs in nanometer and micrometer complementary metal–oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology present inevitable drawbacks, such as oxide breakdown and hot electron effect. A well-defined architecture, including a linear and simple functional block synthesis, is critical in designing CMOS PA for various applications. This article describes the different state-of-the art design architectures of CMOS PA, including their circuit operations, and analyzes the performance of PAs for 2.4 GHz ISM (industrial, scientific, and medical) band applications. Keywords: CMOS; ISM band; PA; transmitter; WSN 1. Introduction At present, wireless communication systems are experiencing a rapid growth because of the advancement of complementary metal–oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology [1,2] which provides more advantages over Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) technologies. CMOS technology enables operation at a lower power supply, resulting in a reduced power dissipation in the circuit [3,4] and a minimized fabrication cost because of the compact chip size. CMOS offers the prospect of integrating radiofrequency (RF)/digital/analog functions on a single chip in a low-cost manner [5–7]. The CMOS power amplifier (PA) is a promising solution for modern wireless devices to satisfy the demand of a low-power and low-cost design. Over the years, CMOS PA has been widely used in various wireless communication applications, including home automation, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), industrial consumer electronics, TV transmissions, phones, and medical instruments [8–10]. It has been integrated in high-frequency medical ultrasonic applications to amplify high-voltage excitation signals to activate ultrasonic transducers, because ultrasonic imaging requires a higher contrast resolution, which can be produced by a highly linear PA [4]. Electronics 2019, 8, 477; doi:10.3390/electronics8050477 www.mdpi.com/journal/electronics Electronics 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 21 transducers, because ultrasonic imaging requires a higher contrast resolution, which can be produced Electronicsby a highly 2019 linear, 8, x FOR PA PEER [4]. REVIEW 2 of 21 ElectronicsThe 2019PA, is8, 477the key component of RF transmitters. An RF transmitter is composed of functional2 of 21 transducers,blocks, such becauseas a digital-to-analog ultrasonic imaging converter requires (DAC), a higher an up-conversion contrast resolution, mixer, whichan oscillator, can be produceda PA, and bya band a highly pass linear filter (BPF), PA [4]. [11–13], as shown in Figure 1. Among all of these modules, the PA is the most vital TheTheblock PA PA because is the key its performance component of significantly RF transmitters. affects An An the RF RF overall transmitter performance is is composed composed of the of of transmitter functional functional blocks,[14–16].blocks, such suchThe asPA as a can adigital-to-analog digital-to-analog be defined as converteran converter electronic (DAC),(DAC), ampl anifier up-conversion an that up-conversion converts mixer, a low-power mixer, an oscillator, an oscillator,RF signal a PA, into a and PA, a ahigh-powerand band a bandpass filter RF pass signal (BPF), filter [1]. 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(RF)Thetransmitter. block diagram consists of two main stages, namely,Figure the 1.driver Basic blockand powerdiagram stages. of radio Both frequency stages (RF) are transmitter. biased with individual bias voltages.Figure Different2 describes configurations the basic block are diagramapplied ofto thethe CMOS driver PA.and The power block stages diagram to operate consists the of two PA properlymainFigure stages, [20–23]. 2 namely,describes Input the the driverand basic output and block power matching diagram stages. netwof Boththorkse CMOS stages are arePA.used biasedThe to minimizeblock with diagram individual the return consists bias losses voltages. of two to mainobtainDifferent stages, a high configurations namely,gain and the output are driver applied power. and to thepowerHowever, driver stages. and inter-stage powerBoth stages matching toare operate biasedis also the requiredwith PA properlyindividual between [20 bias– the23]. voltages.driverInput andand Different outputpower matchingstages. configurations networks are are applied used to to minimize the driver the and return power losses stages to obtain to operate a high gainthe andPA properlyoutput power. [20–23]. However, Input and inter-stage output matching isnetw alsoorks required are used between to minimize the driver the and return power losses stages. to obtain a high gain and output power. However, inter-stage matching is also required between the driver and power stages. Figure 2. Block diagram of complementary metal–oxide semiconductor (CMOS) power amplifier (PA) [20]. Figure 2. Block diagram of complementary metal–oxide semiconductor (CMOS) power amplifier (PA) [20]. In the past decade, different PA design architectures have been proposed to achieve the desired performances. These architectures suffer from high power consumption, nonlinearity, circuit complexity, InFigure the past 2. Block decade, diagram different of complementary PA design architec metal–oxidetures semiconductor have been proposed (CMOS) topower achieve amplifier the desired low output power, low gain, and low efficiency. Thus, a high-performance PA must urgently be performances. These architectures suffer from(PA) [20].high power consumption, nonlinearity, circuit designed to satisfy the rising demands for ISM band applications. This article is aimed to evaluate the complexity, low output power, low gain, and low efficiency. Thus, a high-performance PA must various aspects of the designs and performances of PA for 2.4 GHz ISM band applications and review urgentlyIn the be past designed decade, to differentsatisfy the PA rising design demands architec fortures ISM have band been applications. proposed Thisto achieve article the is aimed desired to their recent advances in terms of key performance parameters. This comparative study is expected to performances.evaluate the variousThese architecturesaspects of the suffer designs from an dhi ghperformances power consumption, of PA for nonlinearity,2.4 GHz ISM circuit band guide future works on 2.4 GHz RF devices. complexity,applications lowand output review power, their lowrecent gain, advances and low in efficiency. terms of Thus,key performance a high-performance parameters. PA mustThis urgently be designed to satisfy the rising demands for ISM band applications. This article is aimed to comparative2. Performance study Parameters is expected to guide future