A SiGe BiCMOS RMS Power Detector for High Data Rate Wireless Networks

摘要

There has always been a critical need to measure and control RF power in wireless communication networks. Accurate measurement and control aids in the setting of overall cell coverage, and ensures that the RF power amplifiers in the wireless base station are operated for optimum thermal performance. In early cellular networks such as GSM (1G/2G) and AMPS cellular systems, for example, transmitter RF power could be easily measured using a pair of Schottky diodes: one for peak power detection, and the other for temperature compensation. This technique was adequate since the ratio of the peak power to the average power being measured did not vary significantly. Later, various types of logarithmic detectors were used and these were also found to provide acceptable performance in most situations.