Jason T. Stauth and Seth R. Sanders

EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley

Technical Report No. UCB/EECS-2006-72

May 19, 2006

http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2006/EECS-2006-72.pdf

This work addresses the design of switching regulator power supplies for RF power amplifiers (PAs). A generalized design methodology is presented for wideband dynamic DC-DC converters. Inputs to the optimization process are wireless system spectral requirements, broadcast power statistics, and process information. The goal of the optimization is to maximize average efficiency for the given set of performance specifications and technology constraints. It is shown that efficient and rapid adjustment of the PA supply voltage can provide up to an order of magnitude higher average efficiency. A design example is presented for a WCDMA power supply in 180nm CMOS. In this case the improvement of average efficiency is shown to be up to 370% for a typical set of operating statistics. Alternative topologies are discussed as well as the effects of process and technology scaling on the benefit of using a dynamic supply.

---

BibTeX citation:

@mastersthesis{Stauth:EECS-2006-72,
    Author= {Stauth, Jason T. and Sanders, Seth R.},
    Title= {Dynamic Power Supply Design for High-Efficiency Wireless Transmitters},
    School= {EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley},
    Year= {2006},
    Month= {May},
    Url= {http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2006/EECS-2006-72.html},
    Number= {UCB/EECS-2006-72},
    Abstract= {This work addresses the design of switching regulator power supplies for RF power amplifiers (PAs).    A generalized design methodology is presented for wideband dynamic DC-DC converters.  Inputs to the optimization process are wireless system spectral requirements, broadcast power statistics, and process information.  The goal of the optimization is to maximize average efficiency for the given set of performance specifications and technology constraints.  It is shown that efficient and rapid adjustment of the PA supply voltage can provide up to an order of magnitude higher average efficiency.  A design example is presented for a WCDMA power supply in 180nm CMOS.  In this case the improvement of average efficiency is shown to be up to 370% for a typical set of operating statistics.  Alternative topologies are discussed as well as the effects of process and technology scaling on the benefit of using a dynamic supply.},
}

EndNote citation:

%0 Thesis
%A Stauth, Jason T. 
%A Sanders, Seth R. 
%T Dynamic Power Supply Design for High-Efficiency Wireless Transmitters
%I EECS Department, University of California, Berkeley
%D 2006
%8 May 19
%@ UCB/EECS-2006-72
%U http://www2.eecs.berkeley.edu/Pubs/TechRpts/2006/EECS-2006-72.html
%F Stauth:EECS-2006-72