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An Introduction to Broadband
Impedance Transformation
for RF Power Amplifiers
By Anthony J. Bichler
RF Micro Devices, Inc.
T
his paper discusses obtained by simply reversing the sign of the
This tutorial article reviews broadband impe- imaginary part. Here Z* denotes the complex
impedance matching dance-transform- conjugate of Z; thus, for linear systems the
principles and techniques, ing techniques specific for condition for maximum power transfer is
as they are applied to radio frequency power when ZLoad = ZSource*, or: ZL = ZS*.
power device matching amplifiers. Single and As the frequency of operation changes for
in amplifier circuits multiple Q matching ZS, relative to its parasitics, the value of the
techniques are demon- resistive component can substantially change
strated for broadband performance; here the as well as the value of the imaginary compo-
reader will understand the importance of a nent. Transforming a standard system
load impedance trajectory relevant to load impedance to present a driving point load
pull contours. impedance ZL that maintains a complex con-
jugate relationship to the source impedance
Introduction change over frequency is the most challenging
When analytically defining radio frequen- aspect of broadband design.
cy circuits, a common approach incorporates Note: The linear condition for maximum
admittance or impedance. Admittance, which power transfer is often traded for other per-
is symbolized by Y, is defined in terms of con- formance parameters such as efficiency or
ductance G and an imaginary susceptance gain. For this tradeoff the load impedance will
component, jB. Admittance is often useful not hold a conjugate relationship; however, the
when defining parallel elements in a network challenge of maintaining a load for this per-
and is expressed by the complex algebraic formance parameter over a broadband will
equation Y = G + jB. generally remain the same.
Impedance, the mathematical inverse of
admittance, is symbolized by Z and consists of A Review of Smith Chart Fundamentals
a resistive component R in units of ohms and a Philip H. Smith introduced the Smith
reactive or imaginary component jX. Together Chart in Electronics Magazine on January
in a series complex expression they define 1939, revolutionizing the RF industry [1, 2].
impedance as Z = R + jX. Impedance in this This chart simplified complex parallel to
rectangular form is often used in industry to series conversions graphically and, for the
define a power device’s optimal source or load. first time, provided intuitive transmission line
For linear systems, the condition for maxi- solutions.
mum power transfer is obtained when the The Smith Chart is a graphical reflection
impedance of the circuit receiving a signal has coefficient system with normalized conformal
an equal resistance and an opposite reactance mapping of impedance or admittance coordi-
of the circuit sending the signal. In the math- nates, as shown Figure 1 and 2, respectively.
ematics of complex variables, this relationship Reflection coefficient is often referred to as
is known as the complex conjugate. The com- gamma and is symbolized by the Greek letter
plex conjugate of a complex number is Γ. Gamma in its simplest form is defined as
Figure 1 · The Impedance Smith Figure 2 · The Admittance Smith Figure 3 · The Immittance Chart
Chart. Chart. with an SWR circle (green line)
defined by [Γ] radius.
January 2009 37
High Frequency Design
BROADBAND MATCHING
Figure 4 · ZO = 50, ZS = 3, Q = 1.75, SWR = 1.4; N1-2 Series L = 0.9 pH, N2-3
Shunt C = 25 pF; N3-4 Series L = 3.8 nH, N4-5 Shunt C = 6.5 pF.
This element is different than the low-pass L-network, the higher fre-
two matching elements discussed quencies are transformed less than
previously such that shunt induc- the lower frequencies. If the low-pass
tance susceptance decreases with trajectory of Figure 9 were overlaid
increasing frequency. onto Figure 12, the two trajectories
Series capacitance is similar; how- would form the letter X. Exploiting
ever, its reactance is plotted on a con- this relationship by combining these
stant resistance circle in Figure 11 dispersion effects can leverage a
following the reactance equation broadband transformation.
1 Compressing Trajectory
jX C =
j ωC Dispersion
A broadband band-pass network
Series capacitive reactance is illustrated in Figure 13, a 50 to 3
rotates clockwise with increasing fre- ohm transformation similar to the
quency and decreases with increas- one in Figure 4. With the Smith
ing frequency. Chart normalized to the geometric
Shunt L and series C disperse an mean, it is easy to see that low pass
impedance trajectory in a clockwise nodes 1-2-3 are symmetrical in Q to Figure 12 · Z0 = 25 Ω, Q = 1.75; N1-
direction with frequency, but the the high pass nodes 3-4-5. Combining 2 Shunt L = 5.1 nH; N2-3 Series C =
reactance will be decreasing with fre- these two networks’ halves folds and 8.2 pF.
quency. Hence, high-pass matching compresses the trajectory into a con-
networks consisting of shunt induc- densed 3-ohm driving point load.
tors and series capacitors will trans- Compare this transformation, over-rotated well beyond the resistive
form the lower frequencies more than which has a mismatch SWR of 1.08, line at node 3, which compresses the
the higher frequencies. to that of Figure 4 where the mis- upper frequency dispersion. Again,
In Figure 12, a two-element high- match SWR is 1.4. compare this network of Figure 14 to
pass L-network transformation from A Chebyshev broadbanding tech- that of Figure 4; a 3-ohm SWR band-
50 to 12.5 ohms is demonstrated on a nique is illustrated in Figure 14. As width of 1.12 versus 1.4.
25-ohm normalized Smith Chart. discussed earlier, when using low- The transformation is mostly
Note that the trajectory is no longer pass networks the higher frequencies symmetrical with two Q curves, an
co-angular to the constant resistance transform and rotate more. Here the outer curve (Q1 green) and an inner
circle of (nodes 2-3) and that unlike a frequencies higher than 800 MHz are curve (Q3 magenta). However, node 5
January 2009 41
High Frequency Design
BROADBAND MATCHING
Figure 13 · 50 to 3-ohm transformation; Z0 = 12.5, Q = 1.75; N1-2 Shunt C = 6.10 Table 1 · Q curves per transforma-
pF; N2-3 Series L = 3.85 nH; N3-4 Shunt L = 1.32 nH; N4-5 Series C = 32.3 pF. tion ratio (2-section network). The Q
curves are numbered from the
outer most Q1 towards the inner Q3.
Figure 14 · Z0 = 12.3, SWR = 1.12 @ ZS = 3; N1-2 Shunt C = 6.9 pF; N2-3 Series
L = 4.4 nH; N3-4 Shunt C = 30.4 pF; N4-5 Series L = 0.99 nH.
Acknowledgements
The author is indebted to many
friends who reviewed this document
for accuracy.
Special thanks to John B Call for
many broadband network discus-
sions. Special thanks to Kal Shallal
for the LDMOS load pull contours,
and for the device modeling discus-
sion.
References:
1. “Philip H. Smith: A Brief
Biography” by Randy Rhea, Noble
Publishing 1995.
2. Smith® Chart is a registered
trademark and is the property of
Analog Instrument Company, New
Providence, NJ.
Figure 16 · Z0 = 50 Ω, Q = 2.5. Figure 17 · Z0 = 50 Ω, Q = 2.5; N1-2 3. Michael Hiebel, Fundamentals
Shunt C = 4.0 pF, N2-3 Series L = 2.8 of Vector Network Analysis, Rohde &
nH; N3-4 Shunt L = 5.0 nH, N4-5 Schwarz 2007, pg. 14.
shunt capacitor that is proportioned Series L = 7.0 nH. 4. Chris Bowick, RF Circuit
for the complex target impedance. Design, Newnes imprint of Butter-
This additional element re-orders the worth-Heinemann, 1982, Ch. 4 - 5.
dispersion effects of the transforming how the dispersion effects from 5. Herbert L. Krauss, Charles W.
network; hence improving broadband lumped elements can be leveraged to Bostian, Fredrick H. Raab, Solid
performance. It is another example of compress and fold the trajectory. State Radio Engineering, Zhuyi
January 2009 45
High Frequency Design
BROADBAND MATCHING