Multi-level LINC transmitter with nonisolated power combiner

Abstract

By using a non-isolated power combiner, the overall power efficiency can be improved by reducing the wasted power at the combined outphased signal. To further improve the efficiency of the low-power mode, a multi-power mode out-phasing power amplifier (PA) is proposed with load modulation by switches. Compared with the conventional linear amplification using nonlinear component (LINC) transmitter, the proposed multi-level LINC improves the poweradded- efficiency more than 40% for a 7 dB peak-to-average power ratio orthogonal frequency division multiplexing signal. To the authors' knowledge, the proposed LINC PA is the first multi-level LINC PA without multiple power supplies. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2013.