Abstract This paper presents a systematic methodology to

design a diode-based RF predistortion linearizer that can be used

to linearize power amplifiers with dual inflection points in their
distortion characteristics. The proposed structure contains anti
parallel configuration of Schottky diodes, complemented with a
PIN diode in parallel, connected to through and coupled ports of
a 90 hybrid coupler using 2 4 transmission lines. The use of a
PIN diode in the linearizer provides it with an extra level of
freedom in achieving the desired level of amplitude and inflection
depth in the AM/AM characteristic. A systematic design
procedure using this configuration is proposed and applied to
linearize a commercial power amplifier. Two tone test
experimental results show that the IM3 cancellation of 10 dB in 1
MHz separation between tones at 2.14 GHz can be achieved.
Index Terms Analog predistorter, Schottky diodes, PIN diode,
APLAC model, Dual inflection points

I. INTRODUCTION
ith the rapid growth of high volume multimedia data in
communication systems, linearization of high power
SSPAs has become critical to overcome amplitude (AM/AM)
and phase (AM/PM) distortions causing nonlinearity in
amplifiers. In addition, the nonlinearity generates
intermodulation distortion (IMD), which causes interference in
adjacent channels. To compensate these nonlinear distortions,
many linearization techniques have been proposed, such as
feedback, feedforward and predistortion.
Of the various linearization techniques that have been
developed, analog predistorters (PDs) have been widely used
in microwave and satellite applications due to their less
complexity, low implementation cost, wide bandwidth and
capability to be added to existing amplifiers as a separate
stand-alone component. Several predistortion methods have
been proposed using Schottky diodes [1, 2, and 3] or FETs [4]
as the nonlinear device to produce the anti-phase IM
distortion.
On the other way, based on device technology or special
bias conditions, power amplifiers might have single or dual
inflection points in their distortion characteristics as shown in
Fig. 1. Linearization of nonlinear power amplifiers with dual
inflection points in their characteristics is more complicated
than single inflection counterparts and none of the proposed
analog PDs have studied this kind of nonlinearities yet. To the
best of our knowledge, this is the first report of step by step
design procedure of analog PD using three diodes which is
capable of generating amplitude

distortion with two inflection points in the desired predistorter
characteristic.









Fig. 1. (a) Single (b) Dual inflection amplitude characteristics
II. ANALOG PREDISTORTER ARCHITECTURE
The block diagram of proposed analog predistorter is shown in
Fig. 2. There are two linearizer branches connected to through
and coupled ports of a branch line hybrid coupler. Each
linearizer utilizes two Schottky diodes connected in an anti
parallel configuration and a PIN diode in parallel with them. It
will be shown in section III that imaginary part of admittance
for whole diodes in terms of the input power is declining so
the concept of using two z 4 transmission lines with
characteristic impedance of Z
b
preceding the Schottky diodes,
is to set the imaginary part of the diodes admittance to such
that it can be negated by the imaginary part of the PIN diode
admittance which results in a real impedance seen from points
A and B. Furthermore, forward Schottky diode admittance is
adjusted using an open stub connected in parallel with the
diode. Each linearizer generates a nonlinear reflection
coefficient, ,which relates the input signal, o
1
, with the
output signal, b
4
, by the following matrix of the hybrid
coupler:
_
b
1
b
2
b
3
b
4
_ =
1
2
_
u 1 - ] u
1 u u - ]
-] u u 1
u - ] 1 u
_ _
o
1
. b
2
. b
3
u
_ (1)

Where o
2
= . b
2
and o
3
= . b
3
. The above matrix
manipulation results in:

b
4
= -]. o
1
(2)

As input and output powers are represented by |o
1
|
2
and |b
4
|
2

respectively, so the following relationship of the output power
versus the input power can be derived:
Saeed Rezaei, Mohammad S. Hashmi, Behzad Dehlaghi, Fadhel M. Ghannouchi
iRadio Lab., Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Schulich School of
Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N1N4, Canada
A Systematic Methodology to Design Analog Predistortion
Linearizer for Dual Inflection Power Amplifiers
W
G G
P
in
P
in
(a)

(b)


P
out
= ||
2
. P
n
(S)

Equation (3) shows the predistorter gain is equal to square
value of reflection coefficient seen from both linearizer
branches.
III. DIODE BEHAVIORS
As the core of the proposed predistorter is Schottky and PIN
diodes network hence, the analysis of their characteristics in
terms of input power for different bias voltages are essential in
order to select proper bias points to generate desired reflection
coefficient and PD gain characteristic. These analyses are
performed at 2.14 GHz and discussed as following:
A. Schottky diodes
The used Schottky diode in this work is HSMS-2820 from
Agilent. HSMS-282x series are widely used for most
applications, featuring low series resistance, low forward
voltage at all current levels and good RF characteristics in
general.
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 represent the real and imaginary part of the
forward Schottky diode admittance in different bias voltages
in terms of input power. It is clear from Fig. 3 that around bias
voltage of 0.3 V, diode is completely ON and generates
inflection shape in its nonlinear characteristic.

Fig. 3. Real part of the forward Schottky diode admittance versus the input
power for different bias voltages




Fig. 4. Imaginary part of the forward Schottky diode admittance versus the
input power for different bias voltages

Analysis of the reversed Schottky diode shows the
nonlinear characteristics of this diode shifts right side as the
bias voltage increases and can be mostly used to adjust and
align predistorter and PA distortion characteristics. Fig. 5
represents this behavior.


Fig. 5. Real and Imaginary part of the reversed Schottky diode admittance
versus the input power for different bias voltages
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20
0 V
0.1 V
0.2 V
0.3 V
0.4 V
R
e
a
l

A
d
m
i
t
t
a
n
c
e

(
S
)
Input Power (dBm)
-0.04
-0.03
-0.02
-0.01
0
0.01
0.02
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20
0 V
0.1 V
0.2 V
0.3 V
0.4 V
I
m
a
g
i
n
a
r
y

A
d
m
i
t
t
a
n
c
e

(
S
)
Input Power (dBm)
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
-0.02
-0.01
0
0.01
0.02
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20
0 V
0.1 V
0.2 V
0.3 V
0 V
0.1 V
0.2 V
0.3 V
R
e
a
l

A
d
m
i
t
t
a
n
c
e

(
S
)
I
m
a
g
i
n
a
r
y

A
d
m
i
t
t
a
n
c
e

(
S
)
Input Power (dBm)


Fig. 2. Analog predistorter architecture
B. PIN diode
The PIN diode is generally considered to behave like a
current controlled RF variable resistor. In the microwave
frequency range, this simplification is generally quite accurate.
However, in the RF frequency range (below 2 GHz), issues
are more challenging, and the incorrect choice of the diode can
produce disastrous results in terms of circuit performance.
The PIN diode used in this work is HSMP-3890 of Agilent.
APLAC model [5] parameters of this diode are given in the
following table:

R
m|n
(u) R
max
(u) A K L (nH) C (pF)
0.5 5000 0.0202 0.746 2 0.28


Fig. 6. Real and Imaginary part of the PIN diode admittance versus the input
power for different bias voltages

Harmonic balance analysis of the PIN diode verifies its
behavior as a variable resistor in adjusting the diode
admittance and consequently adjusting the amplitude
distortion level of the predistorter (Fig. 6).
IV. DESIGN PROCEDURE
This section discusses step by step design procedure to
generate desired linearizer distortion characteristics.

1- Measure and draw distortion characteristics of PA vs.
power amplifier input power.

2- Normalize and inverse the curves to obtain the reversed
characteristics. Horizontal axis will be the predistorter
output power.

3- Add specific losses value, L, to the predistorter
AM/AM characteristic. Absolute value of this loss
factor must be added to the horizontal axis of both
AM/AM & AM/PM curves to align the predistorter
output power with the PA input power. The new
horizontal axis will be predistorter input power. The
depth of the inflection is represented by . (Fig. 7)












Fig. 7. Dual inflection AM/AM of the predistorter with small signal loss of L
and inflection depth of

4- As discussed, the imaginary part of the admittance in
points A and B of each branch must be zero at small
signal powers so the conductance seen from those
points in small signal , 0
S
,can be obtained as:

Z
n
= Z
0
2
.
1
= Z
0
2
. 0
S
(4)

In
=
Z
n
- Z
0
Z
n
+ Z
0
=
Z
0
. 0
S
- 1
Z
0
. 0
S
+ 1
(S)

I = ||
2
, 0
S
=
1 + 1u
-(L 20)
Z
0
|1 - 1u
-(L 20)
]
(6)

5- According to Fig. 7, Since I
(smuII sgnuI)
- I
M
= and
I = ||
2
, one can write in points A and B:

M
= 1u
(A 20)
(7)

M
=
(1 0
M
) - Z
0
(1 0
M
) + Z
0
=
S
. 1u
-(A 20)
(8)

0
M
=
(1 + Z
0
. 0
S
) - 1u
-(A 20 )
. (1 - Z
0
. 0
S
)
Z
0
|(1 + Z
0
. 0
S
) + 1u
-(A 20 )
. (1 - Z
0
. 0
S
)]
(9)

where
S
,
M
and 0
S
, 0
M
denote reflection coefficients and
conductance values in small signal and at power level
corresponding to point M of PD characteristic shown in Fig. 7.
Now, the designer can select the proper bias voltages from
Fig. 3 to Fig. 6 to obtain these conductance values.
V. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
In order to verify the proposed technique, AP603 power
amplifier from Triquint in Vcc=28 V, Icq=40 mA at 2.14 GHz
is used to design the linearizer shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 8 shows AM/AM distortion of the power amplifier and
the designed PD in terms of their input and output powers
respectively. Power amplifier contains dual inflection in the
input power range of 10 dB with maximum depth of 0.4 dB at
an input power of -8 dBm. Considering insertion loss of 11 dB
(in measurement 11.2 dB) and substituting L and values in
(6) and (9), it will result in 0
S
= u.uS6 S and 0
M
= u.uSS S.
0
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0.035
0.04
-0.01
-0.005
0
0.005
0.01
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20
0.3 V
0.4 V
0.5 V
0.55 V
0.3 V
0.4 V
0.5 V
0.55 V
R
e
a
l

A
d
m
i
t
t
a
n
c
e

(
S
)
I
m
a
g
i
n
a
r
y

A
d
m
i
t
t
a
n
c
e

(
d
B
m
)
Input Power (dBm)

Predistorter Input Power (dBm)
P
r
e
d
i
s
t
o
r
t
e
r

G
a
i
n

(
d
B
)

L
M
Small Signal
Region

Fig. 8. Measured AM/AM distortion of AP603 power amplifier versus its
input power and predistorter AM/AM distortion versus its output power

To realize these conductance values, bias voltages of 0.533
V, 0.32 V and 0.12 V from diode curves shown in section III
are selected for the PIN, forward and reversed Schottky diodes
respectively. Open stub lines of ( Z
0
= Su , 2u

) and
(Z
b
= S8 , z 4 ) lines are used to adjust conductance
values and reversing imaginary part of the Schottky diodes
admittances. Predistorter circuit is fabricated on RT5870
substrate with H=20 mil,
r
=2.33 and loss tangent of 0.0023.


Fig. 9. Measured AM/AM of AP603 and PD+PA versus the input power

Fig. 9 verifies the performance of the predistorter in
suppressing the distortion and flattening the nonlinear part of
the power amplifier AM/AM characteristic. Despite remaining
some nonlinearity in the input range of -10 dBm to -6 dBm
after linearization, most of the nonlinearities in range of -14
dBm to -6 dBm have been suppressed. Two tone signal with
frequency separation of 1 MHz at 2.14 GHz is applied to
evaluate IM3 distortion for the linearized PA using the
predistorter. Measurement results of the PA with and without
the predistorter are represented in Fig. 10.


Fig. 10. Measured IM3 of AP603 power amplifier and PD+PA versus the
output power

As it can be seen, IM3 has maximum improvement of 10
dB occurred in almost +34.5 dBm output power corresponding
to the input power of -9 dBm where the PA AM/AM
characteristic has maximum inflection depth of 0.4 dB.
VI. CONCLUSION
An analog predistorter linearizer using forward, reversed
Schottky and PIN diodes has been developed to linearize
power amplifiers with dual inflection points in their distortion
characteristics. The key point in design was to cancel out the
imaginary part of the admittance seen from connection points
of the diodes in small signal operation. Step by step design
methodology and expressions were proposed to synthesize and
achieve the desired conductance and the reversed PA
distortion characteristics. By applying this linearizer to S-band
power amplifier, an improvement of IM3 distortion of 10 dB
has been achieved and AM/AM characteristic of the power
amplifier has been flattened.
REFERENCES

[1] K. Yamauchi, K. Mori, M. Nakayama, Y. Mitsui and T. Takagi,
A Microwave Miniaturized Linearizer Using a Parallel Diode
with a Bias Feed Resistance, IEEE Transaction Microwave
Theory Tech., vol. 45, No. 12, pp. 2431-2435, December 1997.
[2] J. Cha, J. Yi, J. Kim and B. Kim, Optimum Design of a
Predistortion RF Power Amplifier for Multicarrier WCDMA
Applications, IEEE Transaction Microwave Theory Tech., vol.
52, No. 2, pp. 655-663, February 2004.
[3] H. Jeong, S. Park, N. Ryu, Y. Jeong I. Yom and Y. Kim, A
Design of K-band Predistortion Linearizer using Reflective
Schottky Diode for Sattelite TWTAs, 13
th
GAAS Symposium,
pp. 597-600, Paris, 2005.
[4] G. Hau, T. Nishimura and N. Iwata, A Highly Efficient
Linearized Wide-Band CDMA Handset Power Amplifier Based
on Predistortion under Various Bias Conditions, IEEE
Transaction Microwave Theory Tech., vol. 49, No. 6, pp. 1194-
1201, June 2001.
[5] http://www.hp.woodshot.com/hprfhelp/design/SPICE/pins.htm
-12
-11.5
-11
-10.5
-10
-9.5
-9
-8.5
40.5
41
41.5
42
42.5
43
43.5
44
-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5
-30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0
Linearizer AM/AM
Power Amplifier AM/AM
L
i
n
e
a
r
i
z
e
r

G
a
i
n

(
d
B
)
P
A

G
a
i
n

(
d
B
)
Linearizer Output Power (dBm)
PA Input Power (dBm)
40
40.5
41
41.5
42
42.5
43
43.5
44
-30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0
PA AM/AM without PD
PA AM/AM with PD
G
a
i
n


(
d
B
)
Input Power (dBm)
-45
-40
-35
-30
29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37
IM3 without PD
IM3 Lower band with PD
IM3 Upper band with PD
I
M
3

(
d
B
c
)
Output Power (dBm)