Realization of extremely compact harmonic tuning circuit consisting solely of CRLH TL for next-generation high-efficiency amplifiers

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K04181
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 21060:Electron device and electronic equipment-related
• Research Institution: Shibaura Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Tanaka Shinichi 芝浦工業大学, 工学部, 教授 (00556243)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: マイクロ波 / 電力増幅器 / 左手系メタマテリアル / 電力効率 / 高調波処理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The power amplifier (PA) to amplify the radio waves of mobile phone base stations will increasingly require higher efficiency and wider bandwidth in the future. However, it is difficult to add new functional circuits to circuits that are already densely integrated. In this study, in order to solve such challenges, we propose a new PA using composite right/left-handed (CRLH) transmission lines that can achieve high efficiency and wide bandwidth of PA with very small circuit size. When this technology was applied to GaN HEMT PA, it not only achieved the world's highest level of power efficiency but also succeeded in reducing the circuit area of the recently focused continuous class F amplifiers by an order of magnitude compared to conventional methods.

Free Research Field

マイクロ波回路

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

携帯電話の無線技術は，現代社会の情報通信ネットワークの中核技術のひとつに位置付けられる。本研究の提案内容は，従来の携帯電話基地局の増幅器のサイズを増やすことなく，高効率化と広帯域化を実現することに貢献するため，従来装置との互換性を保ちながら性能向上を図れる利点がある。自然界に存在しない左手系電磁波の性質を用いるCRLH線路は従来も研究されてきたが，本研究の設計手法は独自の理論に基づいており，他者の追随を許さないものである。従って，本研究で得られた成果は学術的にも意義深いものである。