Modeling of An RF Amplifier Integrated with A Monitoring Sensor and A Terminal Power Sensor

Modeling of the radio frequency (RF) amplifier integrated with a monitoring sensor (MS) and a terminal power sensor (TPS) is proposed in the work. The approach enables co-simulation of the sensor and the monitored circuit during the initial design stage, optimizing both based on simulation outcomes. This modeling significantly aids in the optimized design of integrated circuits and sensor systems. An RF amplifier with integrated MS operates as a self-heating system governed by electromagnetic and thermal fields. The transistor is modeled to facilitate the conversion from electromagnetic to thermal fields, simplifying the order reduction process of the thermal field. A state-space (ss) model for the thermal field and a parameterized behavioral model for the electromagnetic field are developed and described using Verilog-A. The RF amplifier, integrated with a MS consisting of 22 thermocouples, is fabricated in the 0.18-μm RF complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. At 3.04 GHz, this RF amplifier exhibits a minimum input return loss of -9.11 dB. Comparative finite element analysis (FEA) shows the steady-state simulation have a maximum error less than 6% and align closely with experiment.