Tutorial: Fundamentals of RF and Mm-Wave Power Amplifier Designs

This tutorial presents an overview of RF and mm-wave power-amplifier (PA) designs in silicon, focusing on the design fundamentals. First, the tutorial introduces PA performance metrics and their impact on wireless systems. Next, it presents the design basics of both PA active circuits and passive networks. The tutorial discusses popular PA classes, such as Class A, AB, B/C, E, F/F-1, and J. Finally, the tutorial concludes with several RF and mm-wave PA design examples.