EE4101 RF Communications

Part B
Lecture 3 Transistor Stability

Prof TS Yeo

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 EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Two-port network stability

 b1   S11 S12   a1 
b2    S 21 S 22  a2 
    
Z S  Zo Z L  Zo
S  Forward gain L 
Z S  Zo Z L  Zo
b
2
 S21
source
 Source b1
source
a 1 S  load
 Load b2
load
a 1
1 22 L a 2

b2device S12 S 21 S
 S 11  S 12 S 21 L out   S 22 
device

  b 1
in
a
device
1
1  S 22 L a device
2 1  S11 S
Note the complex relationship between the device, source, load.
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EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Two-port network stability

b1  S11a1  S12 a2  S11a1  S12 L b2 -----(1)


b2  S 21a1  S 22 a2  S 21a1  S 22 L b2 -----(2)

S12 S 21L -----(3)

 b1
 a  S11  1  S   in Substitute (4) into (1) to
 1 22 L obtain this expression.

 b2  S 21   Forward gain, from (2)
 a1 1  S 22 L -----(4)

Exercise, put a1=Гsb1 and derive the backward gain and

also Гout
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EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Two-port network stability

•Circuit is stable (does not oscillate), if input resistance and

output resistance are both positive (i.e., dissipate energy) or |Γin|
< 1 and |Γout| < 1
•Unconditional stability:
•|Γin| < 1, |Γout| < 1, and |ΓS| < 1, |ΓL| < 1 for all load and
source impedances (magnitudes of reflected waves reduced
after each reflection at ALL junctions)

S12 S 21 L
in  S11  1 For unilateral device (i.e.
1  S 22 L S12 = 0, we then have:
S12 S 21 S |S11| < 1 and |S22| < 1
out  S 22  1
1  S11 S
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EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Two port network stability

•Conditional stability: |Γin| < 1, |Γout| < 1 for only certain range
of passive load and source impedances
Note: Input side
•To check on stability regions: Input side stability: condition is
on Load.
•Set |Γin| = 1
•Then |S11(1 – S22ΓL) + S12S21ΓL| = |1 – S22ΓL|
•We get the input stability circle |ΓL – CL| = RL
•where * *
( S 22   S11)
CL  RL 
S12 S 21
S 22
2
 2
S 22
2
 2

  S11 S 22  S12 S 21 Note: Derivation not needed.

Equations will be given if needed. 5
EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Two port network stability

•To check on stability regions: Output side Note: Output side

stability: condition is
•Set |Γout| = 1 on Source.

•Then |S22(1 – S11ΓS) + S12S21ΓS| = |1 – S11ΓS|

•We get the input stability circle |ΓS – CS| = RS
•where * *
( S11  S 22 )
CS  RS 
S12 S 21
S11
2
 2
S11
2
 
2

  S11 S 22  S12 S 21

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 EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Two port network stability

Where is S12 S 21 L Check at ΓL = 0 then

|Γin|<1? in  S11  │Гin│=│S11│
1  S 22 L

When ΓL = 0,
│S11│ < 1 => When ΓL =
│Гin│< 1. 0, │S11│ >
1 =>
Hence, the
│Гin│> 1.
region contains
ΓL = 0 is the Hence, the region
solution space. Similarly for output contains ΓL = 0 is NOT
stability region. the solution space. 7
EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Stability testing

•Device unconditionally stable, we have the stability circles

completely outside the Smith Chart (when |S11| < 1 and |S22| < 1)
•k-Δ test – rigorous conditions for unconditional stability
•But cannot be used to compare the relative stability of two
devices
1  S11 2  S 22 2   2  1
k 1
2 S12 S 21
1  S11 2

•Alternate parameter μ S 22  S11
*
  S12 S 21
•μ > 1 implies device unconditionally stable
•Larger value of μ implies greater stability
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EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Example 3.1

S parameters of a GaAs FET at 2 GHz and a 50Ω reference are:

S11 = 0.894/-60.6o , S12 = 0.02/62.4o , S21 = 3.122/123.6o , S22 =
0.781/-27.6o
Determine the stability of the transistor and plot the stability
circles.
Δ = S11S22 – S12S21 = 0.696/-83o
1  S11 2  S 22 2   2
k  0.607
2 S12 S 21
|Δ| = 0.696 < 1, but k < 1 => device potentially unstable.
As |S11| < 1, and |S22| < 1, we have
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EE4101 RF Communications Part B –
Example 3.1

*
( S11  S *22 )
CS   1.132 68o
S11
2
 2

S12 S 21
RS   0.199
S11
2
 2

*
( S 22   S11
*
)
CL   1.361 47o
S 22
2
 
2

S12 S 21
RL   0.50
S 22
2
 2

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