RF CMOS Power Amplifiers for Mobile Terminals

Recent progress in development of CMOS power amplifiers for mobile terminals is reviewed, focusing first on switching mode power amplifiers, which are used for transmitters with constant envelope modulation and polar transmitters. Then, various transmission line transformers are evaluated. Finally, linear power amplifiers, and linearization techniques, are discussed. Although CMOS devices are less linear than other devices, additional functions can be easily integrated with CMOS power amplifiers in the same IC. Therefore, CMOS power amplifiers are expected to have potential applications after various linearity and efficiency enhancement techniques are used.