Load Pull verification of a novel Class B/J design tool: Second harmonic clipping contours

A novel extended formulation of the “continuous mode” voltage waveform equation is presented for RF power amplifiers. This leads to the complete determination of a new design tool termed the “second harmonic clipping contour”. This tool allows the designer to quantify the effect of a non ideal fundamental load impedance on the Class B/J second harmonic matching conditions. This tool is shown to enable the designer to work more effectively with complex wide band matching networks that avoid areas of the smith chart which will cause clipping of the current waveform and hence, undesirable nonlinear behavior. Complex waveform analysis is shown displaying the predicted current waveform clipping when the second harmonic impedance violates the clipping contour boundary.