Nonlinear and Memory Characterization of GaAs FET Devices and FET-Based Power Amplifier Circuits

An experimental study of nonlinear and memory effects at device and power-amplifier circuit level is presented in this paper. Effects produced by the device itself have been isolated from those caused by the introduction of particular biasing and matching networks in the power amplifier design. The influence of biasing and matching network topologies over nonlinear, short- and long-term memory behaviour of power amplifiers has been experimentally determined. The results of these measurements have been related with simulations of the impedance on the drain of the transistor for different prototypes. Finally, some guidelines for memoryless PA design can be extracted