Low-Power PAE Enhancement for 3G Handset Power Amplifiers

Abstract

As the cellular network infrastructure matures, the transmit power requirement is shifting to a lower power range. For example, CDMA usage probability density function shows its peak around 0dBm. Power amplifier design thus requires new metrics that emphasize overall efficiencies across the entire usage power range rather than just PAE (poweradded- efficiency) at the maximum output power. In this presentation, different circuit techniques to enhance the efficiencies in the low power region are presented together with their impact on overall talk time of 3-G handsets.