Linearity improvement analysis for power amplifiers at mm-wave frequencies

ABSTRACT This article presents an adaptive predistortion (APD) linearization technique to improve the linearity of millimeter‐wave power amplifiers (PAs), specifically at 60 GHz. The PA and the APD were designed using the 0.13 µm SiGe BiCMOS process. The predistortion is applied to the PA by varying the gain of the PA through its variable gain amplifier. The PA achieves a PSAT of 11.97 dBm and IP1 dB of −10 dBm. After linearization the PA has an improved IP1 dB of −6 dBm. This linearization technique results in an optimum intermodulation distortion 3rd reduction of 10 dB. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:743–748, 2014