Fast Characterization of PAs MWJ Webcast AAA

Welcome
Andy Howard Senior Applications Engineer Agilent EEsof
Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012
Fast Characterization of Power Amplifier Performance with Modulated Signals
Efficient simulations with swept-power, modulated signals Agilent EEsof EDA

Andy Howard Applications Engineer April 5, 2012
Power amplifier design and characterization has become more complex

Characterizing amplifier performance with sinusoids is no longer sufficient Need to know ACLR, EVM, output power, etc. Need to know performances versus power and at specific output powers How should design parameters be adjusted to improve performance? Need to know statistical distributions of performances
Two Solutions
1) Simulate nonlinearity using 1-tone HB power sweep. Apply modulated signal to nonlinearity in post-processing. Interpolate to get data at specific output power. Repeat for each Monte Carlo trial or swept parameter value. 2) Use Ptolemy cosimulation and Automatic Verification Modeling. Interpolate to get data at specific output power. Repeat for each Monte Carlo trial or swept parameter value.
Solution 1: somewhat faster, but less accurate. Solution 2: more accurate and more information.
Two Solutions
1) Simulate nonlinearity using 1-tone HB power sweep. Apply modulated signal to nonlinearity in post-processing. 2) Use Ptolemy cosimulation and Automatic Verification Modeling.
Weve offered this technique for a while, so whats new?

Parameter sweep or Monte Carlo analysis now allowed See correlations between statistical variables and results Data now available at user-specified output power(s) no need to re-simulate or run an optimization
To carry out this technique, what do you need?

Modulated signal or baseband I and Q data Main, adjacent, and alternate, channel frequency limits for ACPR calculation An example from which you copy the setup
Many modulated signals could be used (only have to create file once)
From a simplified Ptolemy example Could use baseband I and Q data Could use data from Signal Studio
Could use same signal with which you test real amplifier
Run swept power HB simulation of amplifier
Apply modulated signal to simulated amplifiers nonlinearity

Amplifier nonlinearity Ideal and distorted output trajectories
Input trajectory
10
ACPR, EVM, output power computed via equations

EVM is computed from delta at each time point Ideal and distorted output trajectories
ACPR is computed from Output spectrum
11
Display swept-power (from scaling input signal amplitude) and interpolated results
Interpolation gives data at specified output power
Fast plots update instantly
12
Speed up calculation by specifying subset of modulated time sequence
Using ..EDGE_Sig[0::500]
Using ..EDGE_Sig[0::5000]
Using ..EDGE_Sig - All time points included
Trade accuracy for calculation speed.

13
Shorter sequence gives very similar results as longer one

501 vs 5001 time points ~8 seconds vs. ~42 seconds
14
Run Monte Carlo to see statistical variation

1072 seconds required Dataset: 866 kbytes
15
With shorter sequence, only slight changes

217 seconds required Dataset: 751 kbytes
These data are only slightly different.

16
New specified output power; histograms and data update instantly no need to re-simulate
Higher output power -> higher distortion, as expected.

17
We now know the statistical variation. Which statistical variables matter?
18
Scatter plots show correlations - ACPR
ACPR improves with increasing TL width Little correlation with dielectric constant
ACPR improves with increasing drain bias Little correlation with gate bias
19
Scatter plots show correlations - EVM
No correlation with dielectric constant
EVM improves with increasing TL width
EVM improves with increasing drain bias Little correlation with gate bias
20
Could design parameters be changed to attain better performance?
21
Sweeping a parameter to seek better performance
Variables defined in subcircuit can also be swept
22
Performance varies with transmission line length
23
Sweeping one parameter at a time is inefficient

Use Monte Carlo to investigate multiple design parameters simultaneously Design variables allowed to vary uniformly over large range. All values within range are equally likely.
Similar to running a multi-dimensional parameter sweep

24
Big variation in performance
Minimum ACPRs while delivering 26 dBm
Corresponding variable values (lengths and widths in mils)

25 Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012
Which design variables affect Pout_dBm?

Want 26 dBm Pout, but not all sets of parameter values enable this
Better performance
Better performance
Better performance
26
Which design variables affect ACPR?
Better performance
Better performance
27
Using this technique effectively

Use as many design variables as you want. Simulation time only determined by number of Monte Carlo trials. Correlations indicate which variables matter Best parameter values update as you change specified output power Iterate (re-run Monte Carlo) after adjusting parameter value ranges based on best set of parameter values
28
Two Solutions
1) Simulate nonlinearity from 1-tone HB power sweep. Apply modulated signal to nonlinearity. 2) Use Ptolemy cosimulation and Automatic Verification Modeling.
29
Weve offered this technique for years, so whats new?

Power sweeps now run much more efficiently See correlations between statistical variables and results Data now available at user-specified output power(s) no need to re-simulate or run optimizations
30
Using Ptolemy cosimulation

EVM measurement ACLR measurement DC power consumption measurement
EDGE source
Power amplifier subcircuit
Input power sweep
Output power measurement
31
Power amplifier subcircuit
Co-simulation requires Envelope controller Time step must be set should match source time step Variables copied from EDGE source. Stop time setting is ignored
32
Use Fast Cosimulation (Automatic Verification Modeling)

Creates and simulates behavioral model -- but only if something in the circuit changes Simulates orders of magnitude faster than full transistorlevel model
33
Simulation results
Specify desired output power. Data is interpolated to find values corresponding to this power level.
34
Run Monte Carlo to see statistical variation
35
Swept parameter results same transmission line swept
36
Comparing simulation results
Results are similar, but not Identical. Differences increase at highest output Powers.
37
Comparing the methods

Ptolemy cosimulation advantages: - Specification-compliant measurements - Can include receive-side filtering, if required - Power-added efficiency (PAE) is computed Swept-power harmonic balance simulation advantages: - Faster (but less accurate) for short time sequences - Can be used with any source
38
Conclusions
ADS enables fast characterization of amplifier performance Powerful post-processing capabilities Understand statistical variation of your design Understand which variables matter
39
Examples shown are available here:

(Agilent EEsof Knowledge Center login required) http://edocs.soco.agilent.com/display/eesofkc/Computing+Swept+Input+Power+ACPR http://edocs.soco.agilent.com/display/eesofkc/ Swept+Power+ACPR%2C+EVM%2C+and+PAE+from+Ptolemy+Co-simulation
40
You are Invited:
Hsieh-Hung Hsieh (PhD Technical Manager / RF Design Program TSMC
George Estep RFIC Application Development Enginee Agilent EEsof You can find more webcasts www.agilent.com/find/eesof-innovations-in-eda www.agilent.com/find/eesof-webcasts-recorded

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Welcome

Andy Howard Senior Applications Engineer Agilent EEsof

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Fast Characterization of Power Amplifier Performance with Modulated Signals

Efficient simulations with swept-power, modulated signals Agilent EEsof EDA

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Power amplifier design and characterization has become more complex

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Weve offered this technique for a while, so whats new?

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

To carry out this technique, what do you need?

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Run swept power HB simulation of amplifier

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Apply modulated signal to simulated amplifiers nonlinearity

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

ACPR, EVM, output power computed via equations

ACPR is computed from Output spectrum

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Speed up calculation by specifying subset of modulated time sequence

Using ..EDGE_Sig - All time points included

Trade accuracy for calculation speed.

Shorter sequence gives very similar results as longer one

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Run Monte Carlo to see statistical variation

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

With shorter sequence, only slight changes

These data are only slightly different.

Higher output power -> higher distortion, as expected.

We now know the statistical variation. Which statistical variables matter?

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Scatter plots show correlations - ACPR

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Scatter plots show correlations - EVM

No correlation with dielectric constant

EVM improves with increasing TL width

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Could design parameters be changed to attain better performance?

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Sweeping a parameter to seek better performance

Variables defined in subcircuit can also be swept

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Performance varies with transmission line length

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Sweeping one parameter at a time is inefficient

Similar to running a multi-dimensional parameter sweep

Big variation in performance

Minimum ACPRs while delivering 26 dBm

Corresponding variable values (lengths and widths in mils)

Which design variables affect Pout_dBm?

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Which design variables affect ACPR?

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Using this technique effectively

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Weve offered this technique for years, so whats new?

Copyright 2012 Agilent Technologies April 5, 2012

Using Ptolemy cosimulation

Power amplifier subcircuit

Input power sweep