High efficiency transmitter front-ends integrated with planar antennas and PBG

Abstract

In this paper, we present two novel design architectures that utilizing either a periodic structure or an active integrated antenna (AIA) for harmonic tuning in transmitter front-end designs. These techniques promise to significantly improve the power amplifier efficiency, reduce losses and weight, as well as maintaining good linearity requirements of advanced wireless communication systems. We will illustrate these two concepts through several design examples that have been developed recently, including a power amplifier integrated with novel PBG ground plane for harmonic tuning and four push-pull PA design examples, where the AIA concept is implemented to allow antenna to serve as a power combiner, a harmonic tuning load, in addition to its original functionality as a radiating element.