RFPAL: A New Approach to Power Amplifier Linearization
Wireless service providers need to deploy networks with wider coverage, greater subscriber density, and higher data rates. This requires more efficient power amplifiers. Additionally, the emergence of distributed architectures and active antenna systems is driving the need for smaller and more efficient power amplifier implementations. Further, there continues to be a strong push toward reducing the total capital and operating costs of the entire Base Station system.
Wideband signals in today’s telecommunications systems have high peak-to-average ratios and stringent spectral growth specifications, and these place high demands on power amplifiers. Linearity may be achieved by increasing backoff and reducing efficiency, but this increases the operating costs and cost of the power amplifier. Linearity may also be achieved through the use of pre-distortion and other linearization techniques, but many of these are time consuming and/or costly to implement.
Scintera offers a different approach with the RF Power Amplifier Linearizer (RFPAL). With RFPAL, the complex signal processing is done in the RF domain. This results in a simple system-on-a-chip that offers wide signal bandwidth, broad frequency of operation, and very low power consumption. It is an elegant solution that reduces development costs and speeds time to market. Applicable across a broad range of signals — including 2G, 3G, 4G, and other modulation types — the powerful analog signal processing engine is capable of linearizing the most efficient power amplifier topologies. RFPAL is a true RFin and RFout solution, supporting modular power amplifier designs that are independent of the baseband and transceiver subsystems. RFPAL delivers the required efficiency and performance demanded by today’s wireless systems.
Linearization with RFPAL
Reduced complexity, reduced cost, increased system modularity. Completely contained within the Power Amplifier Module
RFPAL is applicable for PAs with a broad range of requirements:
Traditional in-cabinet amplifiers, Remote Radio Units (RRU), Tower Mounted Power Amplifiers, Repeaters and Booster Amplifiers, Micro Basestations, Pico Basestations, Distributed Antenna Systems, Active Antenna Systems, MIMO Systems