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

doi:10.1109/LMWC.2008.922119

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 journal › Article › peer-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 (T_J) and the junction-to-ambient thermal resistance (R_JA) 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 R_JA 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 R_JA . Finally, we obtained a universal relation between S₂₁ of the amplifier and T_J. This work suggests that thermal budget of PCB is as important as that of package in wireless RF equipments.

Original language	English
Article number	4497809
Pages (from-to)	323-325
Number of pages	3
Journal	IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters
Volume	18
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/LMWC.2008.922119
Publication status	Published - 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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10.1109/LMWC.2008.922119

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

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.",

keywords = "Power amplifier (PA), Printed circuit board (PCB) thermal resistance, Radio frequency (RF), Thermal design",

author = "Jeongkyu Heo and Kim, {Jae Choon} and Kim, {Ki Hyuk} and Rieh, {Jae Sung} and Chung, {Jin Taek} and Hwang, {Sung Woo}",

year = "2008",

month = may,

doi = "10.1109/LMWC.2008.922119",

language = "English",

volume = "18",

pages = "323--325",

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AU - Heo, Jeongkyu

AU - Kim, Jae Choon

AU - Kim, Ki Hyuk

AU - Rieh, Jae Sung

AU - Chung, Jin Taek

AU - Hwang, Sung Woo

PY - 2008/5

Y1 - 2008/5

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

KW - Power amplifier (PA)

KW - Printed circuit board (PCB) thermal resistance

KW - Radio frequency (RF)

KW - Thermal design

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DO - 10.1109/LMWC.2008.922119

M3 - Article

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EP - 325

JO - IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters

JF - IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters

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M1 - 4497809

ER -

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

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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