Design of Multistage Class-AB/J Power Amplifier for 5G Smart grid’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure Applications

Abstract

Abstract The wireless communication networks for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) / smart metering applications of a smart grid are in need of emerging 5G technology for providing a significant enhancement in bandwidth (BW) to support a large amount of data transmission between the Meter data management system (MDMS) of operation centre and smart meters efficiently. The entire wireless communication network’s BW and efficiency mainly depend on its Power Amplifier (PA). The design of PA that can provide high efficiency with linearity over a wide BW is essential to meet the 5G wireless communication network requirements of AMI / smart metering applications. This paper presents the design methodology of a two-stage PA that operates at a 3.5 GHz centre frequency by utilizing the CGH40010F model GaN transistor. This PA employs a Class-J mode for the power stage that will be driven by a Class-AB mode to achieve high efficiency with improved power gain over desired BW. The matching Networks(M.Ns) of the proposed two-stage PA are designed with the idea to replace its passive lumped inductors with active inductors, based on the desired optimum impedance values obtained from the load-pull techniques utilizing the ADS EDA tool. The proposed two-stage PA delivers a power output of 41dBm with 21 dB of power gain over a BW around 400 MHz, a maximum Power Added Efficiency (PAE ) of 53% and maximum drain efficiency (D.E) of 54% with a small signal gain of 27dB at 3.5GHz using 28V power supply into 50 Ω load.