Effect of printed circuit board structures on temperature-dependent gain characteristics of RF power amplifier chips

Jeongkyu Heo, Jae Choon Kim, Ki Hyuk Kim, Jae Sung Rieh, Jin Taek Chung, Sung Woo Hwang

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    1 Citation (Scopus)

    Abstract

    We fabricated and characterized heterojunction field effect transistor radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (PA) test fixtures, for wireless applications, with various printed circuit board (PCB) structures. The RF matching and bias circuits of the test fixtures were designed so that they had the same RF characteristics. The only source of the variation of the RF gain (S21) was different thermal characteristics of each PCB. The values of the junction temperature (TJ) and the junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (RJA) of each test fixture were shown to be changed as much as 80°C and 30°C/W, respectively, by the change of PCB structures. The change of RJA was shown to be originated from the change of the PCB thermal resistance, assuring that the structure of the PCB was the dominant factor in determining RJA . Finally, we obtained a universal relation between S21 of the amplifier and TJ. This work suggests that thermal budget of PCB is as important as that of package in wireless RF equipments.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number4497809
    Pages (from-to)323-325
    Number of pages3
    JournalIEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters
    Volume18
    Issue number5
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2008 May

    Keywords

    • Power amplifier (PA)
    • Printed circuit board (PCB) thermal resistance
    • Radio frequency (RF)
    • Thermal design

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Condensed Matter Physics
    • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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