Computer-aided design of class-C microwave transistor amplifiers by direct numerical optimization

The authors outline a straightforward procedure for microwave class-C amplifier design. They discuss an empirical bipolar junction transistor model of an enhanced Ebers-Moll type, allowing an accurate simulation of the device performance in the power saturation region. They describe the use of this model in conjunction with a general-purpose harmonic-balance simulator to provide a direct numerical optimization capability for the class-C amplifier. As an illustrative example, they report on the simulation of a practical microwave-integrated-circuit amplifier built on a Teflon-fiberglass substrate.<>