GaN RF poweramplifiers can be especially sensitive to variations in load impedance andsupply variation. High voltage operatingconditions lead to increased sensitivity to capacitive loading effects, andmismatch effects from the output load impedance can lead to large dynamicvoltage and temperature swings inside the device, which in the worst case canlead to transistor reliability problems, and as a minimum, degrade outputpower, efficiency and linearity.
High voltage GaNswitch based tuneable matching networks are a potential solution to thisproblem[1]. These networks can operate like tuneablefilters to mitigate the mismatch between antenna and the system matchingimpedance. These devices are typical inmobile applications, where the antenna is subject to large amounts ofcapacitive coupling (hand effect), resulting in a large VSWR presented to theanalog circuit. These circuits are notcommonly used in higher power applications due to the linearity degradationfrom the switches. GaN switches have thepotential to mitigate some of these issues, due to their inherently highvoltage operating range[2]. Furthermore the antenna tuner could be usedto replace other backoff efficiency enhancement methods such as Doherty or highbandwidth envelope tracking, which can both introduce excess nonlinearity.
This project aims todesign, tape out and measure, a tuneable output matching network for a GaNpower amplifier, and simulate the effect on linearity under both externalsupply and load modulation.
[1] [1] K. Entesari and G.M. Rebeiz, "RF MEMS, BST, and GaAs varactor system-level response in complexmodulation systems," International Journal of RF and MicrowaveComputer-Aided Engineering, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 86-98, 2008, doi: 10.1002/mmce.20275.
[2] C. F.Campbell and D. C. Dumka, "Wideband high power GaN on SiC SPDT switchMMICs," 2010 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Anaheim,CA, USA, 2010, pp. 145-148, doi: 10.1109/MWSYM.2010.5517940
Type of internship: Master internship
Duration: 12 month
Required educational background: Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering
University promotor: Piet Wambacq (VUB)
Supervising scientist(s): For further information or for application, please contact Tim Canning (< E-Mail aus Sicherheitsgründen gelöscht >)
The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-323. Mention this reference code in your application.
Only for self-supporting students.
Applications should include the following information:
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
High voltage GaNswitch based tuneable matching networks are a potential solution to thisproblem[1]. These networks can operate like tuneablefilters to mitigate the mismatch between antenna and the system matchingimpedance. These devices are typical inmobile applications, where the antenna is subject to large amounts ofcapacitive coupling (hand effect), resulting in a large VSWR presented to theanalog circuit. These circuits are notcommonly used in higher power applications due to the linearity degradationfrom the switches. GaN switches have thepotential to mitigate some of these issues, due to their inherently highvoltage operating range[2]. Furthermore the antenna tuner could be usedto replace other backoff efficiency enhancement methods such as Doherty or highbandwidth envelope tracking, which can both introduce excess nonlinearity.
This project aims todesign, tape out and measure, a tuneable output matching network for a GaNpower amplifier, and simulate the effect on linearity under both externalsupply and load modulation.
[1] [1] K. Entesari and G.M. Rebeiz, "RF MEMS, BST, and GaAs varactor system-level response in complexmodulation systems," International Journal of RF and MicrowaveComputer-Aided Engineering, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 86-98, 2008, doi: 10.1002/mmce.20275.
[2] C. F.Campbell and D. C. Dumka, "Wideband high power GaN on SiC SPDT switchMMICs," 2010 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, Anaheim,CA, USA, 2010, pp. 145-148, doi: 10.1109/MWSYM.2010.5517940
Type of internship: Master internship
Duration: 12 month
Required educational background: Electrotechnics/Electrical Engineering
University promotor: Piet Wambacq (VUB)
Supervising scientist(s): For further information or for application, please contact Tim Canning (< E-Mail aus Sicherheitsgründen gelöscht >)
The reference code for this position is 2026-INT-323. Mention this reference code in your application.
Only for self-supporting students.
Applications should include the following information:
- resume
- motivation
- current study
Incomplete applications will not be considered.
