Multi-source active injection load pull system and method

摘要

A harmonic load pull system uses a number of synchronized signal sources to inject harmonic power into the output of a power transistor. The mismatch between the signal sources and the transistor internal impedance is reduced by using multi-harmonic tuners, which pre-match the impedance of the signal sources to the internal impedance of the transistor at each harmonic frequency independently. Actual tuning is electronic by changing the amplitude and phase of the injected signals. The transmitted and reflected waves are measured and optimized through bi-directional couplers connected between the transistor and the tuner and a wideband harmonic receiver.

主权项

1. A test setup for power RF active devices (DUT) at a multitude of frequencies F1, F2, . . . FN, comprises a harmonic receiver/network analyzer, a signal source F1 and a combo RF load; wherein said signal F1 is injected into the input port of said DUT and said combo load (reflection factor) is presented to the output port of said DUT;
and wherein and the injected and reflected signal waves at the input and output port of said DUT are sampled by directional couplers and measured by said harmonic receiver; and wherein said combo load comprises two components:
a) a real or passive component, created by an impedance transformer (tuner), andb) a virtual or active component, created by RF power injection from phase and amplitude modulated external signal sources; said power injection comprising a multitude of signal sources at the frequencies F1, F2, . . . FN and said impedance transformer (tuner) being able to independently tune at each of said frequencies.