Development of a High-Efficiency, Low-Power RF Power Amplifier for Use in a High-Temperature Environment

This thesis presents a study of the design of a high efficiency, low power, RF power amplifier that can operate over an extended temperature range. The amplifier has been implemented as a hybrid circuit with the active device fabricated in a 0.5μm silicon-on- sapphire CMOS technology and passive components implemented off-chip. First a review of power amplifiers is given. Next design considerations for low power, high efficiency amplifiers are presented. Finally design details and measurement results from a low-power Class E amplifier are presented. When operated with an output power of 1 mW, the Class E amplifier achieves an efficiency greater than 40% over the frequency band 250 MHz to 310 MHz at 25 C and from 265 MHz to 295 MHz at 200 C.