Electrical and Temperature Stress Effects on Class-AB Power Amplifier Performances

Normalized degradations of drain efficiency and output power as a function of conduction angle, maximum drain current, and maximum output voltage are modeled. Good agreement between the model predictions and Cadence radio-frequency simulation results is obtained. The output power and efficiency of class-AB power amplifiers (PAs) degrade with channel hot electron stress due to reduced conduction angle, drain current, and output voltage. The degradation is enhanced at high temperature. In addition, the PA third-order input intercept point and adjacent channel power ratio all decrease with stress