Load Pull with X-Parameters A New Paradigm for Modeling and Design Gary Simpson, CTO Maury Microwave Anaheim, May 2010 For a more detailed version of this presentation, go to www.maurymw.com/presentation.htm 1
New Paradigm Instant Large Signal Model Major Breakthrough Dream of Microwave Engineers for years Solution: Load Pull + NVNA + ADS 2
Outline Introduction to Maury Microwave Basics of Load Pull Load Pull with X-Parameters High Power X-Parameters Large Signal Models Results Leveraging Value Noise Params Summary 3
Maury Microwave Corporation Headquarters 2900 Inland Empire Blvd, Ontario California, USA 4
1957 Incorporated in California Experts in Precision Machining for Microwave Components 1980 s Aligned with HP/Agilent to provide ALL 8510 Cal Kits 1987 World s First Commercial Automated Load Pull and Noise Parameter System 2004 Launched LSNA (Large Signal Network Analyzer) 2008 Load Pull with X-Params 2008 Ultra-Fast Noise Params 5
Measurement Science Knowledge At Maury we continue to value credibility, honesty, integrity Daily Interaction with Industry Experts in Leading Companies Noise Parameter Testing Power Load Pull/Source Pull Nonlinear/Large Signal S-Parameters X-Parameters 6
Experts In Full System Integration Solutions Experienced Technical Team Waveguide & Coaxial Turnkey & Customized Solutions 7
Maury Product Overview Components Device Characterization 8
Outline Introduction to Maury Microwave Basics of Load Pull Load Pull with X-Parameters High Power X-Parameters Large Signal Models Results Leveraging Value Noise Params Summary 9
What Is Load Pull? Measurement vs. Impedance 10
What is Load Pull Stimulus and Measurement TUNER DUT TUNER Γ source Γ Load 11
Why Load Pull? Characterize Non-Linear Devices Small Signal S-Parameters Not Sufficient Must Measure with Actual Operating Conditions Most Power Devices are Far from 50 Ohms Characterize Noise Parameters Measure vs. Source Impedance Load Match Optional - to Reduce Uncertainty 12
What is a Tuner? A device to control impedance Probe Reflection Control Method: Magnitude move probe up / down Phase move probe horizontally Probe End View Mismatch probe in a 50-Ohm slab line USB Interface Side View 13
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Automated Mechanical Tuners 0.25 110 GHz Coaxial and Waveguide Repeatability > 40 or 50 db USB Control ATS software or DLL Reliable and proven technology More than 20 years in Tuner Technology 15
Basic Load Pull Setup Measure Pout, Gt, Bias, Eff, ACPr vs. Gamma (load or source) 16
Load Pull with AM/PM Measure Gamma_in, AM/PM, Gp, True PAE, plus basic parameters vs. Gamma 17
Pulsed Bias/RF Load Pull 18
On-Wafer Load Pull 19
Harmonic Load Pull Multiplexer Method Cascaded Tuner Method Active Tuning Method 20
Harmonic Load Pull Multiplexer Method RF Source Tuner F1 DUT T R I P L E X E R Tuner F3 Tuner F2 Tuner F1 Load Load Power Meter Separate Fundamental / Harmonics with Filters 21
Harmonic Load Pull Cascaded Tuner Method RF Source Tuner F1 DUT Tuner F1,2,3 Tuner F1,2,3 Tuner F1,2,3 Power Meter Select combination of tuner states to simultaneously set F1, F2, F3 22
Active Tuning DUT TUNER b2 a2 Synthesize Gamma by Adding Injected Signal to Passive Reflection Reflection 23
2nd Harmonic Tuning 24
Outline Introduction to Maury Microwave Basics of Load Pull Load Pull with X-Parameters High Power X-Parameters Large Signal Models Results Leveraging Value Noise Params Summary 25
Load Pull with LSNA Time Domain - 2004 26
Time Domain Data Absolute Mag and Phase of a and b Waves At Fundamental and Harmonics a1 b1 DUT a2 b2 Calibrated Reference Planes 27
NVNA - 2008 Nonlinear Vector Network Analyzer Superset of LSNA Large Signal Network Analyzer Measures Time Domain Measures Time Domain and X-Parameters X-Parameters are Unique to Agilent NVNA X-Parameters act as Large Signal Model 28
S-Parameters VNA measures amplitudes and phases of Linear signals. 29
X-Parameters NVNA measures amplitudes and phases of non-linear signals. 30
X-Parameter Summary Non-Linear Generalization of S-Parameters S-Parameters are special case where distortion = 0 Data covers one Large Signal Operating Point Acts like Large Signal, Non-Linear Model In Region near Large Signal Operating Point 31
Load Pull Prior Art Separate Disciplines Determine Match for a Single Device Verify Large Signal Models X-Parameters at 50 Ohms Before NVNA, Measurement was not Easy With NVNA, Good for 50 Ohm blocks But Power Devices are far from 50 Ohms 32
Solution: Load Pull with X-Parameters Instant Large Signal Model 33
Instant Large Signal Model X-Parameter Component V_DC SRC1 Vdc=8 V I_Probe Is_low Vs_low DC_Feed DC_Feed1 Vs_high I_Probe Is_high DC_Feed DC_Feed2 DC_Block DC_Block1 I_Probe Iload V_DC SRC2 Vdc=-1 V I_Probe P_1Tone Isrc PORT1 Num=1 Z=Z_s P=dbmtow(Pavs) Freq=RFfreq vsrc DC_Block DC_Block2 WJ_FP2189_PHD WJ_FP2189_PHD_1 fundamental_1=_freq1 vload S1P_Eqn S1 S[1,1]=LoadTuner Z[1]=Z0 Industry Breakthrough 34
Instant Large Signal Model Maury Load Pull Agilent NVNA Maury SW in PNA-X Run a Sweep Plan Save X-Parameter File Simulate in ADS 35
Load Pull + NVNA Setup Unique to Maury and Agilent PNA-X NVNA + Maury Software Maury Tuner DUT Maury Tuner Bias System 36
Installs Inside PNA-X Tightly Coupled with PNA-X / NVNA Full X-Parameter Support 37
Selecting X-Parameters X-Params option in parameter selection dialog 38
Sweep Plan Up to 7 Variables Fully Automated Measurement Sweep Plan Setup Measure over Full Range of Device Operation 39
Harmonic Tuning Simulation with X-Parameters Fundamental Load Pull with X-Parameters Simulate Harmonic Load Pull Benefits: Reduce Setup Complexity Reduce Measurement Time Reduce Data Storage 40
Outline Introduction to Maury Microwave Basics of Load Pull Load Pull with X-Parameters High Power X-Parameters Large Signal Models Results Leveraging Value Noise Params Summary 41
High Power Measurement Setup Input Amp PNA-X Output Amp DUT 42
High Power Calibration Setup Input Amp PNA-X Cal Stds Output Amp 43
High Power Load Pull with X-Parameters 20 Watt Setup Simple Setup Use Front Panel Links Main thing Power Budget Protect NVNA Protect Amps 44
Demo Test Set PA1 in PA1 out CPLR1 in Input bias 36 db 20 db 15 db couplers Bias Tee DUT Port 1 + 15V Out 15V, 4A Power Supply 16 db 36 db 15 db couplers 20 db Bias Tee DUT Port 2 PA2 in PA2 out CPLR2 in Output bias 45
Calibration Connections 46
Measurement Connections 47
Outline Introduction to Maury Microwave Basics of Load Pull Load Pull with X-Parameters High Power X-Parameters Large Signal Models Results Leveraging Value Noise Params Summary 48
Traditional Large Signal Model Use Small Signal and DC measurements Fit Model Parameters to Data Time-Consuming Accuracy Limited in Some Regions of Operation Technology Dependent Model is Extrapolated to Large Signal Load Pull is Accuracy Reference Load Pull is Measured at Actual Large Signal 49
X-Parameter Large Signal Model Based on Large Signal Measurements of X-Parameter Data Includes all Parasitics up to Reference Plane Technology Independent Hides Design Details of Device Load Dependent Data for PA Design Power Devices are Far from 50 Ohms 50
X-Parameter Large Signal Model Over Entire Smith Chart Create Instantly from Load Pull Data Very Accurate Based on Large Signal Load Pull Measurement Region of Validity Sweep Plan Range Selected by User Sweep Gamma, Power, Bias, Freq, Etc. Simulate Complex PA Circuits New Paradigm for Modeling and Design 51
Outline Introduction to Maury Microwave Basics of Load Pull Load Pull with X-Parameters High Power X-Parameters Large Signal Models Results Leveraging Value Noise Params Summary 52
Results Packaged FET Extremely Accurate Agreement Pout PAE Blue Simulated, Red - Measured 53
Results - Packaged FET Extremely Accurate Measurements P out Contour (dbm) X-param Simulation 27.7 27.2 28.2 SimulatedVoltage MeasuredVoltage 20 15 10 5 0 WJ FP2189 1W HFET Measured and Simulated Voltage and Current Waveforms 0.30 0.25 0.20 0.15 0.10 SimulatedCurrent MeasuredCurrent -5 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 time, nsec 0.05 Measured and Simulated Voltage and Current Waveforms 16 0.5 0.30 Measured and Simulated Dynamic Load Line SimulatedVoltage MeasuredVoltage 14 12 10 8 6 4 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 2 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 time, nsec SimulatedCurrent MeasuredCurrent SimulatedCurrent MeasuredCurrent 0.25 0.20 0.15 0.10 0.05-2 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 MeasuredVoltage SimulatedVoltage 54 Agilent Restricted 54 August 21, 2009
Harmonic Load Simulation Red Simulated from F1 Load Pull gamma[3] gamma[2] gamma[1] Load conditions Measured_PAE XParam_PAE 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 PAE vs. Available Input Power 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 (0.000 to 0.000) Pin_avail Blue Measured 3 Harmonic Load Pull Measured_Iout XParam_Iout 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0-0.5 Dynamic Load Line -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 XParam_Vout Measured_Vout Measured_Vout XParam_Vout 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0-10 Voltage and Current Waveforms at output 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2.0 2.2 2.4 time, nsec 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 0.0-0.5 Measured_Iout XParam_Iout 55
Outline Introduction to Maury Microwave Basics of Load Pull Load Pull with X-Parameters High Power X-Parameters Large Signal Models Results Leveraging Value Noise Params Summary 56
Leveraging Value Ultra-Fast Noise Parameters Uses the same PNA-X, same Maury Tuners Traditional Method Based on 1969 Paper New Method 200 times faster (8 minutes vs. 30 hours) Much Simpler More Accurate 57
Noise Parameter Results Old Method 73 Frequencies 30 Hours 58
Noise Parameter Results New Method 73 Frequencies 8 Minutes, 224x Faster 59
Summary New Paradigm for Modeling and Design Load Pull + NVNA + ADS Instant Large Signal Model Major Industry Breakthrough 60
Solution: Load Pull with X-Parameters Instant Large Signal Model 61