In RF design, efficiency and linearity are always at odds—here’s how engineers manage the trade-off:
• For High Linearity Needs (5G, Radar, SatCom): Linear PAs (Class A/AB) improve signal integrity but at the cost of efficiency and heat dissipation.
• For High Efficiency (Battery-Operated or IoT Devices): Doherty. Envelope tracking or Class D amplifiers can push efficiency above 50%, but may require digital pre-distortion (DPD) to maintain acceptable linearity.
• For Broadband Applications: Multi-stage MMIC PA designs use advanced PA design techniques and internal matching to realize high bandwidth.
Qorvo’s Insight: The best PA choice depends on the modulation scheme, bandwidth and power budget of your application. What’s your design approach? Let’s discuss!