Envelope trackers providing compensation for power amplifier output load variation are provided herein. In certain configurations, a radio frequency (RF) system includes an antenna, a power amplifier that receives a radio frequency signal and outputs an amplified radio frequency signal to the antenna, a plurality of detectors coupled to the power amplifier and operable to generate a plurality of detection signals, and an envelope tracker that controls a supply voltage of the power amplifier based on an envelope of the radio frequency signal. The envelope tracker processes the plurality of detection signals to generate a load variation detection signal indicating a change in an output load of the power amplifier arising from a change in a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of the antenna. Additionally, the envelope tracker adjusts a gain of the power amplifier based on the load variation detection signal.

A wideband variable gain amplifier (VGA) having a low phase change is disclosed. The first VGA amplifies an input signal by a current steering manner so that an amplification gain is variable. The larger a variable gain amount of the first output signal amplified by the first VGA is, the more a relative phase change amount gradually increases in either positive direction or negative direction. The second VGA further amplifies the first amplified output signal in the current steering manner so as to vary the amplification gain. As a variable gain amount of a second output signal amplified by the second VGA becomes larger, a relative phase change amount gradually increases in a direction opposite to the phase change direction of the first VGA. This opposing phase changes of the first and second VGAs are canceled against each other to provide a variable amplification gain over the wideband frequency range with a low phase change.

Apparatus and methods for a low-load-modulation power amplifier are described. Low-load-modulation power amplifiers can include multiple amplifiers connected in parallel to amplify a signal that has been divided into parallel circuit branches. One of the amplifiers can operate as a main amplifier in a first amplification class and the remaining amplifiers can operate as peaking amplifiers in a second amplification class. The main amplifier can see low modulation of its load between the power amplifier's fully-on and fully backed-off states. Improvements in bandwidth and drain efficiency over conventional Doherty amplifiers are obtained.

An amplifier circuit (AC) for amplifying an output signal (OS) of a capacitive sensor (M) comprises a first input terminal (AIN) to receive the output signal (OS) of the capacitive sensor (M) and a second input terminal (BIN) to receive a bias voltage (Vbias) of the capacitive sensor (M). The amplifier circuit (AC) comprises an amplifier (A) for amplifying the output signal (OS) and a control circuit (CF) arranged in a feedback loop (FL) of the amplifier (A) being configured to control a DC voltage level at an input connection (A1) of the amplifier (A). A bias voltage sensing circuit (BVS) senses a change of the level of the bias voltage (Vbias) at the second input terminal (BIN) and changes the bandwidth of the feedback loop (FL) in dependence on the sensed change of the level of the bias voltage (Vbias).

A test and measurement device including a source configured to output a source signal, a source output configured to output the source signal to a connected cable, a guard drive circuit electrically coupled to the source and configured to receive the source signal and generated a guard drive signal, the guard drive circuit having a gain less than one, and a guard drive circuit output configured to output the guard drive signal to a connected guard.

A linear amplifier is provided to have higher efficiency for an envelope tracking modulator. In one embodiment, a first stage amplifier circuit can be simply operated in a high gain mode or a high bandwidth mode for different applications, without using large chip area. In another embodiment, an output stage has a cascode structure whose dynamic range is controlled according to a voltage level of a supply voltage, to make a core device within the output stage have better protection and suitable dynamic range.

In a Doherty amplifier including a carrier amplifier (6) and a peaking amplifier (8) connected in parallel with each other, a compensation circuit (9) for causing an impedance seen from an output end (9a) of the compensation circuit (9) toward the peaking amplifier (8) to be open within a used frequency range and compensating for frequency dependence of an impedance seen from an output of a combiner (10) toward the combiner (10) in a state in which the peaking amplifier (8) is not operating is arranged between the peaking amplifier (8) and the combiner (10). This achieves a wider bandwidth without making the circuit larger in size and more complicated.

One illustrative high bandwidth transimpedance amplifier includes a distributed amplifier having multiple transistors that receive a propagating input signal at respective nodes of an input signal line and drive corresponding nodes of an amplified signal line that propagates an amplified signal to an output voltage buffer. A feedback impedance couples the output voltage to a feedback node in the distributed amplifier, making the output voltage proportional to the input signal's current. An illustrative method includes: propagating an input signal current along an input signal line of a distributed amplifier, the distributed amplifier responsively propagating an amplified signal along an amplified signal line; buffering the amplified signal from a final node of the amplified signal line to produce an output voltage signal; and using the output voltage signal to draw the input signal current from a final node of the input signal line via a feedback impedance.

A supply modulator for a polar power amplifier and method for operating the same are disclosed. An apparatus includes an amplifier having an input for receiving a phase modulated (PM) signal. A modulator is arranged to receive an amplitude modulated (AM) signal and provide a supply voltage to the amplifier, the supply voltage varying based on the AM signal. A detector circuit may detect the supply voltage exceeding a first threshold or falling below a second threshold. The detector circuit includes a current source arranged to provide a bias current to the modulator. When the supply voltage exceeds the first threshold, the detector causes an increase in the bias current provided to the modulator. Similarly, when the supply voltage falls below a second threshold, the detector causes an increase of the bias current supplied to the modulator.

The embodiments described herein provide radio frequency (RF) amplifiers, and in some embodiments provide amplifiers that can be used in high power RF applications. Specifically, the amplifiers described herein may be implemented to include one or more matching networks with the transistor(s) and inside the device package in a way that may facilitate operation at high frequencies and over wide bandwidths. Specifically, the amplifiers can be implemented with matching networks that include inductive and capacitive elements arranged in double T-match configuration, where at least some inductive elements are implemented with bond wires and the capacitive elements are implemented with integrated passive devices (IPDs). In such implementations the double T-match configuration of the matching network can be fully implemented inside the package, and may provide the amplifier with high frequency, wide bandwidth performance.