Load Pull-Driven Behavioral Modelling of Microwave Switches for the Design of Tunable Reflective Terminations

Recent advances in RFPA design make extensive use of active load modulation techniques. These architectures can be made more effective by the insertion of electronically tuneable reactive elements. This work describes the measurement and modeling of microwave switches aimed at this application. Active open-loop load-pull measurements were performed on microwave switches with different biasing voltages and power levels. Using load-pull measurement data, the devices are modeled based on Cardiff behavioral model’s mathematics expressing good accuracy in reproducing the switch response in the linear and compression regions.