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This paper proposes a novel approach and apparatus along with its calibration method to use the digital predistortion (DPD) technique in radio-over fiber (RoF) cloud RAN (C-RAN) transmitters that encompass physically spaced central baseband unit (C-BBU) and remote radio head (RRH). The proposed approach requires a calibrated observation path (COP) connecting the RRH to the BBU to mitigate any hardware impairments and distortion using a broadband post-distortion technique. This feedback (FB) link provides on-demand tracking of the change in the downlink (DL) optoelectronic component’s behavior and sends a copy of the radio frequency (RF) output signal to the C-BBU for DPD identification and processing. The proposed technique is experimentally validated using 40 MHz, and 100 MHz LTE-A as DL data signals, while the post-compensation model is built by a 200 MHz LTE-A signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new method to design a digitally assisted and spurious-free direct carrier mixerless modulator based on the six-port correlator is proposed. The calibration of the modulator based on modified Cartesian memory polynomial (MCMP) is used to linearize and mitigate hardware impairment of the whole system. The modulation and the up conversion are performed by using the variable loads controlled by the differential in-phase and quadrature-phase baseband voltages together with common-mode voltages. The proposed MCMP is able to compensate for nonlinearity, frequency responses, residual carrier leakage, crosstalk between the in-phase and the quadrature-phase data. The proof-of-concept of digitally assisted mixerless modulator is developed and its performance is assessed at 2.6 GHz with modern communication signals. The error vector magnitudes between the input ideal baseband signals and the up-converted radio frequency signals are all between 2% and 4%. The residual carrier leakage, which remains present after imperfect suppression through hardware means, degrades the overall system performance and it can be suppressed completely by means of the proposed memory polynomial model. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a linear and efficient transmitter prototype based on pulsed load modulation (PLM) power amplifier (PA). The proposed transmitter setup utilizes the complex delta–sigma (DS) modulation as a signal processing technique instead of the envelope DS modulation for higher linearity performance. Using the complex DS modulation technique reduces the in-band quantization noise significantly at the output of the modulator and consequently, enhances the linearity of the transmitter. To validate the proposed technique, the linearity and efficiency performance of the complex DS modulator (CDSM)-based transmitter are compared with the performance of its envelope DS modulator (EDSM) counterpart in measurement. For this paper, an efficient and linear PLM PA is designed and fabricated using GaAs E-pHEMT transistors. For a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) uplink standard signal with 3-MHz bandwidth and 7-dB peak-to-average power ratio, the CDSM-based transmitter achieves the drain efficiency and power added efficiency of 46% and 42%, respectively, at an average output power of 25.1 dBm. The comparison measurement study of EDSM-based transmitter and the CDSM-based transmitter with the LTE uplink signal shows about 11-dB improvement in the signal-to-noise and distortion ratio of the output signal. The measurement results for LTE signals were able to pass the spectral requirements defined by the standard without applying predistortion techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper derives a novel continuum of Doherty power amplifier (PA) solutions with enhanced load modulation over an extended RF bandwidth. It is analytically shown that Doherty PAs with efficiency peaks at maximum power and at an arbitrary back-off level can be achieved with numerous configurations of output power combiner. Generalized governing equations for carrier and peaking transistor current ratios, voltage profiles, and biasing conditions are derived in order to assess the performance of any Doherty amplifier configuration. The generalization demonstrates the impact of the selection of the output combiner on PA performance and highlights the tradeoffs between the different solutions. A wideband Doherty PA was designed based on the proposed methodology and implemented using packaged gallium nitride transistors. Over the frequency band of 0.55–1.10 GHz, the Doherty PA exhibited drain efficiency in excess of 40% and 56% at 6-dB output power back-off (OPBO) and peak power, respectively. The Doherty PA was successfully linearized when driven with modulated stimulus and achieved average drain efficiency above 40% at 7.1-dB OPBO. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This letter presents a new antenna topology to implement the load modulation in the Doherty transmitter, which resulted in enhancing the bandwidth compared to previous works. The active load modulation is realized by using a monopole array antenna, which serves as both Doherty combiner and wave radiator. The load impedances of amplifiers can be dynamically tuned through the mutual coupling of the array elements. Detailed design equations and procedures are developed. For verification, a Doherty transmitter operating at 1.95–2.10 GHz has been designed and fabricated using GaN HEMT transistors. The prototype transmitter exhibited a power-added efficiency of 53% at peak power level and maintained an efficiency of 43% at 6.8-dB backoff, over the frequency band of 1.95–2.10 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter presents a linearization algorithm designed for envelope tracking transmitters with an optimal highly efficient envelope shaping function. Targeting high efficiency at all power regions of the PA results in a severe nonlinear input-output response, and broadening of the PA output spectrum compared with a fixed voltage, or other envelope shaping functions. A two-box modeling approach is used, where a static nonlinearity function focuses on reducing the nonlinearity of the transmitter, and a memory polynomial model is used in cascade to reduce remaining distortions. The results show a definite improvement over traditional one-box models, and is suitable for PAs exhibiting unique nonlinear responses, especially for ET applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The long-term evolution (LTE)-advanced standard requires the possibility of having signal transmission with up to 100 MHz bandwidth in the fourth generation (4G) of wireless technology. The component carriers (CCs) of the signal in both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) are limited to 20 MHz,introducing carrier aggregation (CA) of multiple CCs (up to maximum five CCs) has broadened the overall signal bandwidth to up to 100 MHz [1]-[4]. Having wideband OFDM M-QAM modulated signals with a high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) could bring numerous challenges to the design aspect of transmitter linearity, output power gain, and overall efficiency. The beauty and efficiency of the CA mechanism comes with an extra focus on the transmitter architecture design and achievable efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An architecture and design procedure for transformer-less load-modulated power amplifiers (PAs) having high efficiency at power back-off is presented. This architecture utilizes a comparable load modulation concept as in the Doherty PA; however, contrary to the Doherty PA, it neither requires an output impedance transformer, nor offset lines, which are the main limiting factors in designing wideband Doherty amplifiers. In this architecture, the proper load modulation at the transistor drain levels is directly dependant on the design of the main and peaking amplifiers' matching networks. It is shown that the design of the output impedance of the peaking amplifier as a frequency-varying susceptance rather than as a quasi-open circuit impedance (as in Doherty amplifiers) helps in achieving better wideband performance. Based on the analytical results, a step-by-step procedure is proposed for designing wideband load-modulated PAs having high efficiency over a wide power back-off region. Based on the proposed architecture and its design procedure, a 10-W PA is designed and prototyped in the 1.96–2.46-GHz band exhibiting a power-added efficiency of more than 40% at a 6-dB power back-off. In comparison with a symmetrical Doherty amplifier design using the same device, the proposed architecture exhibits a 250% enhancement in its fractional bandwidth. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a new method for extending the bandwidth of Doherty power amplifiers (PAs) in the digital domain. The bandwidth enhancement is achieved through a frequency-selective pre-compensation mechanism that is derived to prevent the efficiency degradation that naturally occurs as the frequency of operation deviates from the center frequency. A methodical analysis of the frequency response of the conventional Doherty PA and that of the proposed Doherty PA is carried out to point out the limitations of the former and demonstrate the capability of the latter in recovering the bandwidth. Over the frequency range spanning from 1.96 to 2.46 GHz, the measured drain efficiency at 6–7-dB output power back-off is higher than 40% for the proposed Doherty PA. Such efficiency performance is achievable only from 2.04 to 2.22 GHz using the conventional Doherty PA. Hence, the bandwidth is enhanced from 180 to 500 MHz, which corresponds to an increase by a factor of 2.8 (i.e., almost triple). By applying the proposed methodology, a Doherty PA that is originally designed at the center frequency of 2.14 GHz for downlink wideband code division multiple access became operative at 1.98-GHz uplink wideband code division multiple access (UL-WCDMA), 2.22-GHz long-term evolution (LTE), and 2.34-GHz worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) bands. The average drain efficiencies for UL-WCDMA, LTE, and WiMAX applications, were 40.1%, 44.2%, and 41.4%, respectively, using the proposed Doherty PA, and 37%, 37.3%, and 35.2%, respectively, using the conventional Doherty PA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]