A High Power-Added-Efficiency 2.5-GHz Class-F Power Amplifier Using 0.5 μm GaN on SiC HEMT Technology

This paper proposed the high-frequency, multi-harmonic-controlled, Class-F power amplifier (PA) implemented with 0.5 μm GaN Hetrojunction Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT). For PA design at high frequencies, parasitics of a transistor significantly increase the difficulty of harmonic manipulation, compared to low-frequency cases. To overcome this issue, we propose a novel design methodology based on a band-reject, low-pass, output matching network, which is realized with passive components. This network provides optimal fundamental impedance and allows harmonic control up to the third order to enable an efficient Class-F behavior. The implemented PA exhibits performance at 2.5 GHz with a 50% PAE, 14 dB gain, and 10 W output power.