Fully monolithic CMOS RF power amplifiers: recent advances

The transmit RF power amplifiers remain one of the most challenging building blocks for wireless transmitters. This article is intended to provide the reader with an understanding of the basic operation of Class A, B, AB, and C RF power amplifiers. With the numerous advantages associated with highly integrated transceiver implementations in mind, some examples of designs of integrated power amplifiers, as opposed to discrete or hybrid implementations, are enumerated. These examples also give the reader an understanding of the current trend in the design and implementation of fully integrated RF power amplifiers in CMOS and other silicon-based technologies.