1 db Compression Point in Amplifier Design

[skynet]

1 db compression point

I am newbie in RFIC design. I want to know about 1 db compression compression of in LNA, got anyone that can explain to me what is 1db compression point and it effect toward LNA design, if someone got good material on this chapter, I would be appreaciate it

 

[odyseus]

amplifier compression point

Have a look at my compression point tutorial at :-

**broken link removed**

hope this helps

 

[DJ]

db compression ampli

Just search P1dB in thr Forum. We taled about that issue alot.

 

[BigBoss]

large 1db compression point

In LNA designs , P1dB compression point that is nonlinearity figure of merit is not used. Instead of it, IP3 figure of merit is used to characterize of LNA performance.

IP3 is a very important to investigate the behaviour of a LNA that is under large signal.

 

[dsjomo]

testing one db compression point

??? Is 1-dB point not an important figure of merit ???...... this is the 1st time i hear such an assertion.

There are some out-band blocker specification to the whole receiver, while IP3 is measured as an in-band characteristic with 2-tone test, an out-band interferer(also know as BLOCKER) could degenerate the signal gain of LNA and lower down the sensitivity.

For most case, the difference between IIP3 and input 1-dB compression point is about 8~10 dB. With some special tenique, we can improve IIP3. But the difference between IIP3 and 1-dB point may not be 8~10dB. If you desided not to take 1dB point as a spec. when you design the system, watch out if you pass the out-band blocker test or not...

As the original question about "IIP3 circle"....... I've seen one paper mentioning this strange methodology, but i suggest you take a glance at K.L.Feng 's paper which discussing IM3 characteristic of common emitter stage. And you'll find that -- different type matching network will give rise to different IM3 characteristic. It depends on what is the impedance looking into the signal source at freqency (w2-w1). For most case of LNA, there is a DC blocking capacitor at input port, and this cap. limits the impedance looking backward. Feng proposed a solution in another IEEE paper .

As for 1-dB point, some stretagy i know to improve it is as follows-- DC current, trasistor sizing, inductive RFC bias choke, dual bias feed (proposed by Japanese, but this is a modified version of PA linearizing technique),etc...
or.....just put a resistor shunting at the input port, this is the fastest and easiest way. 8)

 

[DJ]

1 db compression in rf ic design

The question was related to the meaning of P1dB. dsjomo talked about Ip3 too and I would like to add something.
P1dB and Ip3 come from different nonlinearities. P1dB is measured when the input signal saturates the device by 1dB. Looking at the I/V curve the RF signal might cut at the saturation and also at I=0. The fundamental harmonic is suppressed but other harmonics rise. Ip3 is measured in small signal somewhere at the middle of the I/V curve and the internal nonlinearity create the 2f1-f2 and 2f2-f1. So the P1dB nonlinearity comes from the cut off of the RF signal at the two ends, but the IP3 nonlinearity comes from the internal non linearity of the device. Usually we take Ip3 as 10dB more than P1dB but it is not correct. Agilent has advanced Phemt with about 14 dB different. Also one can simulate and find that for different load circuit there is different numbers.