Lecture 8

Microwave Applications

RF Amplifier design

Amr M. E. Safwat, Ph.D.

Professor
Ain Shams University
Cairo Egypt

Course Content
 Review and introduction
 Planar transmission lines
 Network theory
 Resonators
 Filter design
 Microwave components
 Matching networks
 Amplifier design
 RF measurement

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (2)

1
 Outline
Gain and Stability
•Two port power gain
•Stability
Single stage transistor amplifier design
•Design for maximum gain
•Constant gain circles and design for specified gain (unilateral
device)
•Low-noise amplifier design
Broadband transistor amplifier design
•Balanced amplifiers

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (3)

Two-port Power Gains

Power Gain = G = PL/ Pin is the ratio of the power dissipated in the
load ZL to the power delivered to the input of the two-port network. This
gain is independent of Zs although some active circuits are strongly
dependent on Zs.

Available Gain = GA = Pavn/ Pavs is the ratio of the power available

from the two-port network to the power available from the source. This
assumes conjugate matching of both the source and the load, and
depends on Zs but not ZL.

Transducer Power Gain = GT = PL/ Pavs is the ratio of the power

dissipated in the load ZL to the power available from the source. This
depends on both Zs and ZL.
These definitions differ primarily in the way the source and load are matched
to the two-port device, if the input and output are both conjugately matched to
the two-port, then the gain is maximized and G = G A = GT

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (4)

2
 Two-port Power Gains (cont'd)
Z S  Z0 Z L  Z0
S  L 
Z S  Z0 Z L  Z0
Z0 is the reference
characteristic impedance of
the two port network
V1  S11V1  S12V2  S11V1  S12LV2
Knowing that: S 21
V2  S 21V1  S 22V2  S 21V1  S 22LV2  V1
1  S 22L
in and out can be calculated as follows:

V1 Z in  Z 0 S S  V2 Z out  Z 0 S S 

in    S11  12 21 L out    S 22  12 21 s
V1 Z in  Z 0 1  S 22L V2
Z out  Z 0 1  S11s

V1  V1  V1  V1 (1  in )  Vs

Z in 1  in Vs (1  s )
Z in  Z s
and Z in  Z 0 1   V1 
in 2(1  s in )

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (5)

Two-port Power Gains (cont'd)

Hence, the power delivered to

the network is thus (assuming
V in peak value):

1 | Vs |2 | 1  s |2
Pin  | V1 |2 (1 | in |2 )  (1 | in |2 )
2Z 0 8Z 0 | 1  s in |2
| Vs |2 | 1  s |2
Power available from the source: Pavs  Pin  
in  s
8Z 0 (1 | s |2 )
*

Power 1 | V |2 | S 21 |2 (1 | L |2 )(| 1  s |2 )

delivered PL  | V2 |2 (1 | L |2 )  s
2Z 0 8Z 0 | 1  S 22L |2 | 1  s in |2
to the load:
Power available | Vs |2 | S 21 |2 (1 | out |2 )(| 1  s |2 )
Pavn  PL  
L  out
8Z 0 | 1  S 22out |2 | 1  s in |2 
*
from the network
L  out
*

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (6)

3
 Two-port Power Gains (cont'd)
Power available | Vs |2 | S 21 |2 (1 | out |2 )(| 1  s |2 )
Pavn  PL  
L  out
8Z 0 | 1  S 22out |2 | 1  s in |2 
*
from the network
L  out
*

we have

S12S 21L 2 S S 
| 1  s in |2 | 1  s ( S11  ) | | (1  s S11)  s 12 21 L ) |2
L  out 1  S 22L 1  S 22L
*

s S12S 21
(1  s S11)[(1  S 22L )  L ]
(1  s S11)(1  S 22L )  s S12S 21L 2 (1  s S11)
| ) | | ) |2
1  S 22L 1  S 22L
| 1  s S11 |2 (1 | out |2 ) 2

| 1  S 22out
* 2
|

Power available | Vs |2 | S 21 |2 | 1  s |2
from the network Pavn  PL  
L  out
8Z 0 | 1  S11S |2 (1 | out |2 )
*

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (7)

Two-port Power Gains (cont'd)

PL | S 21 |2 (1 | L |2 )
Power Gain  G  
Pin | 1  S 22L |2 (1 | in |2 )

Pavn | S 21 |2 (1 | s |2 )
Available Power Gain  GA  
Pavs | 1  S11S |2 (1 | out |2 )

PL | S 21 |2 (1 | L |2 )(1 | s |2 )
Transducer power gain  G T  
Pavs | 1  S 22L |2 | 1  s in |2

Special case: the unilateral transducer power gain, GTU, where S12 = 0 (or
is negligibly small e.g. Transistor). in = S11 when S12 = 0.

PL | S 21 |2 (1 | L |2 )(| 1  s |2 )
Unilateral transducer power gain  G TU  
Pavs | 1  S 22L |2 | 1  s S11 |2

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (8)

4
 Example 11.1
A microwave transistor has the following S parameters at 10 GHz, with a
50 reference impedance. The source impedance is Zs = 20  and the
load impedance is ZL = 30. Compute the power gain, the available
gain, and the transducer power gain.

Solution

By direct substitution in the expressions developed earlier, we can get

G, GA and GT.
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (9)

Microwave Transistor

PL | S 21 |2 (1 | L |2 )(| 1  s |2 )
Transducer power gain  G T   `
Pavs | 1  S 22L |2 | 1  s in |2

we can define separate effective gain factors for the input (source)
matching network, the transistor itself, and the output (load)
matching network as follows:
(1 | s |2 ) (1 | L |2 )
GS  G 0 | S21 |2 GL 
| 1  s in |2 | 1  S 22L |2
PL
Transducer power gain  G T   GS G0GL
Pavs

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (10)

5
 Low Noise MMIC Amplifier

Photograph of a low noise MMIC amplifier using three HEMTs with

coplanar waveguide circuitry. The amplifier has a gain of 20 dB from 20 to
24 GHz. The contact pads on the left and right of the chip are for RF input
and output, with DC bias connections at the top. Chip dimensions are 1.1
 2.0 mm.
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (11)

Stability: Can we have unintentional –v resistance?

A transistor is usually connected in the circuit though short pieces of TL.
Hence a very tiny inductor may exist in the source lead. When
calculating the input impedance, this inductor will turn out to be a
resistance!

For simplicity, let's ignore

Ri, Rds and Cds and
calculate Zin
i
v in   jLs (i  g mVc )
jC gs
1 L Ls
 i(  jLs  s g m )
jC gs C gs

Resistive part that depends on gm .

Also, Cgd (not shown) produces feedback and may cause

oscillations.
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (12)

6
 Stability
Two types of stability:
Unconditional stability: The network is unconditionally stable if IinI <
1 and Iout| < 1 for all passive source and load impedances (i.e..
Isl<1 and ILI < 1).

Conditional stability: The network is conditionally stable if Iin| < 1 and

|outI < 1 only for a certain range of passive source and load
impedances. This case is also referred to as potentially unstable.

Note that the stability condition of a network is frequency dependent.

so that it is possible for an amplifier to be stable at its design
frequency but unstable at other frequencies.
S12S 21L S12S 21s
| in | S11  1 | out | S 22  1
1  S 22L 1  S11s
These two expressions set the boundaries for L and S.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (13)

Stability Circles
S12S 21L S12S 21s
| in | S11  1 | out | S 22  1
1  S 22L 1  S11s
When |in|=1, this will set the boundaries for L , which will take the form
of a circle (don't forget that  is complex). Which area will be stable??

S12S 21L
S11  1
1  S 22L

S11(1  S22L )  S12S21L  S11  L (S11S22  S12S21)  S11  L  | 1  S22L |

(S11  L )(S11  L ) *  (1  S22L )(1  S22L ) *

Square both sides and rearrange the terms, we get:
( S 22  S11
*
)L  ( S 22
*
 * S11)L* | S11 |2 1
L L*  
| S 22 |2  |  |2 | S 22 |2  |  |2

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (14)

7
 Stability Circles
Add the following term to both sides of the equation:

| S 22  S11
* 2
|
(| S 22 |  |  |2 ) 2
2

( S 22  S11
*
)L  ( S 22
*
 * S11)L* | S 22  S11
* 2
| | S11 |2 1 | S 22  S11
* 2
|
L L*    
| S 22 |  |  |
2 2
(| S 22 |  |  | )
2 2 2
| S 22 |  |  | (| S 22 |  |  |2 ) 2
2 2 2

( S 22  S11
* *
) S12S 21
L   Output circuit
| S 22 |  |  |2 | S 22 |2  |  |2
2

Center Radius

( S11  S 22
* *
) S12S 21
S   Input circuit
| S11 |  |  |2 | S11 |2  |  |2
2

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (15)

Stability Circles: Which Region is Stable?

S12S 21L
Consider ZL=Z0 L=0 | in | S11   S11
1  S 22L
When |S11|<1 | in | 1 Stable L=0 is in the stable region

When |S11|>1 | in | 1 Unstable L=0 is in the unstable region

(a) |S11| < 1

b) |S11| > 1.

If the device is unconditionally stable, the stability circles must be

completely outside (or totally enclose) the Smith chart.
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (16)

8
 Stability: K factor
it can be shown that the amplifier will be unconditionally stable if the
following necessary and sufficient conditions are met

1 | S11 |2  | S 22 |2  |  |2
K 1
2 | S12S 21 |

and

 1

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (17)

Example 11.2
The S parameters for the HP HFET-102 GaAs FET at 2 GHz with a bias
voltage Vgs = 0 are given as follows (Z0 = 50 ):

Determine the stability of this transistor by calculating K and || and plot
the stability circles.

Solution

K is < 1, so the device is potentially unstable.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (18)

9
 Example 11.2
Unstable
Regions

Since |S11|< 1, then the center

of the smith chart lies in the
stable region.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (19)

Single Stage Transistor Amplifier Design

Since G0 is fixed for a given transistor, the overall gain of the amplifier
will be controlled by the gains, GS and G L, of the matching sections.
Maximum gain will be realized when these sections provide a
conjugate match between the amplifier source or load impedance and
the transistor.
Because most transistors appear as a significant impedance mismatch
(large |S11| and |S22|), the resulting frequency response will be
narrowband.

PL | S 21 |2 (1 | L |2 )(| 1  s |2 )
Transducer power gain  G T   `
Pavs | 1  S 22L |2 | 1  s in |2

(1 | s |2 ) (1 | L |2 )
GS  G 0 | S21 |2 GL 
| 1  s in |2 | 1  S 22L |2

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (20)

10
 Design for Maximum Gain
To achieve maximum power transfer, we should have:
in  s* out  L*
Substitute in the expression of in and out, we get:
S12S 21L S12S 21s
S*  S11  L*  S 22 
1  S 22L 1  S11s
Solving these two equations, S and L and hence the source and load
impedances, gives the conditions of maximum power transfer.
B1  B12  4 | C1 |2 B2  B22  4 | C2 |2
S  L 
2C1 2C2
where B1  1 | S11 |2  | S22 |2  |  |2 B2  1 | S22 |2  | S11 |2  |  |2
C1  S11  S22
*
C2  S22  S11
*

2 (1 | L | )
2
PL 1
Transducer power gain  G T   | S |
Pavs (| 1 | s |2 ) | 1  S 22L |2
21

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (21)

Example 11.3
Design an amplifier for maximum gain at 4.0 GHz using single-stub matching
sections. Calculate and plot the input return loss and the gain from 3 to 5
GHz. The GaAs FET has the following S parameters (Zo = 50 )

Solution
Since K=1.195>1 and ||=0.488<1, the transistor is unconditionally stable
at f = 4 GHz.
Since we have B1  1 | S11 |2  | S22 |2  |  |2 C1  S11  S22
*

S  0.872123 And similarly L  0.87661

PL 1 (1 | L |2 )
GT   | S 21 |2  16.7 dB
Pavs (| 1 | s | )
2
| 1  S 22L |2

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (22)

11
 Example 11.3
The matching section transform
Zo to the impedance Zs.
Plot s. This correponds to the
impedance Zs
Use simple matching circuit. In
this case, an open-circuited shunt
stub followed by a length of line.
Convert to the normalized
admittance Ys. and move toward
the load on the Smith chart till
intercepting the I + jb circle. This
corresponds to a line of length
0.120.
An open-circuited stub length of
0.206 Is thus required.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (23)

Example 11.3

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (24)

12
Constant Gain Circles and Design for Specified Gain

In many cases it is preferable to design for less than the maximum
obtainable gain, to improve bandwidth or to obtain a specific value of
amplifier gain.

The design procedure is facilitated by plotting constant gain circles on

the Smith chart , to represent loci of s and L, that give fixed values of
gain (Gs and GL).

To simplify the discussion, we will only treat the case of a unilateral
device.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (25)

Constant Gain Circles

Starting from the definitions of the matching network gains, we have:
(1 | s |2 ) (1 | L |2 )
GS  GL 
| 1  s S11 |2 | 1  S 22L |2
Maximum occurs when: S=S11* and L= S22*, hence we have:
1
G Smax  G Lmax 
1
1 | S11 |2 1 | S 22 |2

Define gs and gL as follows:

Gs (1 | s |2 ) GL (1 | L |2 )
gS   (1 | S11 |2 ) gL   (1 | S 22 |2 )
Gs max | 1  s S11 |2 GL max | 1  S 22L |2

Note that gs <1 and gL<1.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (26)

13
 Constant Gain Circles (Cont'd)
Gs (1 | s |2 )
gS   (1 | S11 |2 )
Gs max | 1  s S11 |2
Now for constant values of gs, we will have:
gS | 1  s S11 |2  (1 | s |2 )(1 | S11 |2 )
gS (1  s S11)(1  s*S11
*
)  (1 | s |2 )(1 | S11 |2 )
gS (1  s S11  s*S11
*
 | s |2 | S11 |2 )  1 | s |2  | S11 |2  | s |2 | S11 |2
(gS | S11 |2 - | S11 |2 1) | s |2 - gS (s S11  s*S11
*
)  1 | S11 |2  g s
gS (s S11  s* S11 *
) 1 | S11 |2  g s
| s |2 - 
(gS | S11 |2 - | S11 |2 1) (gS | S11 |2 - | S11 |2 1)

Complete the *
g S S11 (1 | S11 |2 ) 1  g s
quadratic s - 
(| S11 |2 (gS - 1)  1) (| S11 |2 (gS - 1)  1)
equation we get:
Center Radius
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (27)

Constant Gain Circles (Cont'd)

And similarly for the
*
g L S 22 (1 | S 22 |2 ) 1  g L
L - 
Load matching network (| S 22 |2 (g L - 1)  1) (| S 22 |2 (g L - 1)  1)

Remarks:
When gL = 1 and gs = 1, these corresponds to the maximum gain.
The circle in both cases will reduce to one point.
The important aspect in this design is that we can make the
amplifier matched over a wide band.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (28)

14
 Example 11.4
Design an amplifier to have a gain of 11 dB at 4.0 GHz. Plot constant
gain circles for Gs = 2 dB and 3 dB, and GL = 0 dB and 1 dB. Calculate
and plot the input return loss and overall amplifier gain from 3 to 5 GHz.
The FET has the following S parameters (Zo = 50):

Solution

Since S12 =0, the transistor is unilateral. Moreover, since S11 < 1 and
S22<1, the transistor is unconditionally stable.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (29)

Example 11.4

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (30)

15
 Example 11.4
the desired gain of 11 dB is
achieved at 4.0 GHz.
The bandwidth over which the
gain varies by  1 dB or less is
about 25%, which is considerably
better than the bandwidth of the
maximum gain design.

The return loss is about 5 dB at

the design frequency. This is due
to the deliberate mismatch
introduced into the matching
sections to achieve the specified
gain.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (31)

Low-noise Amplifier Design

Besides stability and gain, another important design consideration for a
microwave amplifier is its noise figure.
The first stage of a receiver front end has the dominant effect on the
noise performance.
Generally it is not possible to obtain both minimum noise figure and
maximum gain for an amplifier.
Compromise must be made, by using constant gain circles and circles of
constant noise figure and select a usable trade-off between noise figure
and gain.
The noise figure of an amplifier is RN
F  Fmin  | Ys  Yopt |2
defined as follows: Gs

Ys = Gs + jBs = source admittance presented to transistor, Yopt = optimum

where source admittance that results in minimum noise figure. F min = minimum
noise figure of transistor, attained when Ys = Yopt, RN = equivalent noise
resistance of transistor, GS = real part of source admittance.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (32)

16
 Circles of Constant Noise Figure
RN
F  Fmin  | Ys  Yopt |2
Gs
First write Ys and Yopt in terms 1 1  s 1 1  opt
YS  Yopt 
of s and opt as follows: Z 0 1  s Z 0 1  opt

4 | s  opt |2 1 1 | s |2
and | YS  Yopt |2  GS  Re{YS } 
Z 02 | 1  s |2 | 1  opt |2 Z 0 | 1  s |2
4 RN | s  opt |2
F  Fmin 
Z 0 (1 | s |2 ) | 1  opt |2

F  Fmin | s  opt |2
Define the Factor N such that: N | 1  opt |2 
4 RN / Z 0 1 | s |2

opt N ( N  1 | opt |2 )
N (1 | s |2 ) | s  opt |2 s  
N 1 N 1
Center Radius
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (33)

Example 11.5
A GaAs FET is biased for minimum noise figure, and has the following S-
parameters and noise parameters at 4 GHz (Z0 = 50): S11=0.6(-60°).
S21=1.9(81°), S12=0.05(26°), S22 = 0.5(-60°); Fmin= 1.6 dB, opt=0.62(100°),
RN = 20 . Design an amplifier having a 2.0 dB noise figure with the
maximum gain that is compatible with this noise figure.
Solution
F  Fmin opt N ( N  1 | opt |2 )
N | 1  opt |2  0.0986 CF   0.56(100 ) RF   0.24
4 RN / Z 0 N 1 N 1

Now plot the constant gain circle

*
g S S11 (1 | S11 |2 ) 1  g s
s - 
(| S11 |2 (gS - 1)  1) (| S11 |2 (gS - 1)  1)

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 Example 11.5 (Cont'd)
The Gs = 1.7 dB gain circle intersects
the F = 2 dB noise figure circle, any
higher gain will result in a worse noise
figure.
The optimum solution is s=0.53(75),
yielding Gs = 1.7 dB and F = 2.0 dB.
For the output section we choose
L=S22* = O.5(60) for a maximum GL.

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (35)

Broadband Transistor Amplifier

The ideal microwave amplifier would have constant gain and good
input matching over the desired frequency bandwidth.

Conjugate matching will give maximum gain only over a relatively

narrow bandwidth, while designing for less than maximum gain will
improve the gain bandwidth, but the input and output ports of the
amplifier will be poorly matched.

These problems are primarily a result of the fact that microwave

transistors typically are not well matched to 50 .

Another factor is that |S21| decreases with frequency at the rate of 6

dB/octave.

For these reasons, special consideration must be given to the

problem of designing broadband amplifiers.

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Broadband Transistor Amplifier (Cont'd)
Compensated matching networks: I/O matching sections are designed to
compensate for the gain roll-off in |S21| but generally at the expense of the input
and output match.

Resistive matching networks: Good I/O matching can be obtained by using

resistive matching networks, with a corresponding loss in gain and increase in
noise figure.

Negative feedback: Negative feedback can be used to flatten the gain response of
the transistor, improve the input and output match, and improve the stability of the
device.

Balanced amplifiers: Two amplifiers having 90 couplers at their I/O can provide
good matching over an octave bandwidth. The gain is equal to that of a single
amplifier, however, the design requires two transistors and twice the DC power.

Distributed amplifiers: Several transistors are cascaded together along a

transmission line, giving good gain, matching, and noise figure over a wide
bandwidth. The circuit is large, and does not give as much gain as a cascade
amplifier with the same number of stages.
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (37)

Balanced Amplifier

The first 90° hybrid coupler divides the input signal into two equal-amplitude
components with a 90° phase difference, which drive the two amplifiers.

The second coupler recombines the amplifier outputs. Because of the phasing
properties of the hybrid coupler, reflections from the amplifier inputs cancel at the
input to the hybrid, resulting in all improved impedance match; a similar effect
occurs at the output of the balanced amplifier.

This type of circuit is more complex than a single-stage amplifier since it requires
two hybrid couplers and two separate amplifier sections.

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 Balanced Amplifier (Cont'd)

Balanced Amplifier has a number of interesting advantages:

The individual amplifier stages can be optimized for gain flatness or noise figure,
without concern for I/O matching.

Reflections are absorbed in the coupler terminations, improving input/output

matching as well as the stability of the individual amplifiers.

The circuit provides a graceful degradation of a -6 dB loss in gain if a single

amplifier section fails.

 Bandwidth can be an octave or more, primarily limited by the bandwidth of the

coupler.
Microwave Applications Amplifier design (39)

Balanced Amplifier (Cont'd)

1  j 
We have due to the coupler: VA1  V1 VB1  V1
2 2

 jV A2 VB2  j 1  jV1 V2  j

V2    GAVA1  GBVB1  (GA  GB ) S 21   (GA  GB )
2 2 2 2 2 V1 2

1  j  1 j 1 V1 1
V1  VA1  VB1  AVA1  BVB1  V1 (A  B ) S11   (A  B )
2 2 2 2 2 V1 2

If the two amplifiers are identical, then |S21| will be the same and S11 nulls.

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 Example 11.6
Use the amplifier of Example 11.4 in a balanced amplifier configuration
operating from 3 to 5 GHz. Use quadrature hybrids, and plot the gain
and return loss over this frequency range. Using microwave CAD
software, optimize the amplifier marching networks to give 10 dB gain
over this band.

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Next Time
RF measurement

Microwave Applications Amplifier design (42)

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