Design of a 50W Power Amplifier with Two-Octave Bandwidth and High-Efficiency Using a Systematic Optimization Approach

A wideband and highly efficient power amplifier (PA) is designed using a simple and systematic approach. This method employs an optimization process to set the input impedance of the matching networks in optimal regions on the Smith chart, obtained using conventional load-pull/source-pull simulations, in both the fundamental and second harmonics. The developed design method led to a GaN PA whose measurements showed an output power of 46.8–48.1 dBm and a drain efficiency of 57%–71% in a two-octave bandwidth from 0.8 to 3.2 GHz.