Bias Networks Impact on the Dynamic AM/AM Contours in Microwave Power Amplifiers

It is well known that AM/AM distortion introduced by power amplifiers, PAs, is responsible for the degradation of the transmitted signals. Understanding the origins and behavior of that deterioration is thus of paramount importance for PA performance improvement. This paper is devoted to analyze the impact of bias networks on the dynamic AM/AM contours of microwave PAs and, using that knowledge, to give an interpretation to the often observed hysteretic paths' shape.