Digital Predistortion Techniques for RF Power Amplifier Linearization
Summary
Radio-frequency power amplifiers (PAs) are inherently nonlinear devices whose efficiency and spectral purity are vital in modern wireless systems. Digital predistortion (DPD) has emerged as the principal method for compensating these nonlinearities by applying an inverse characteristic to the input signal in the digital domain. Typical DPD architectures consist of a behavioural model—often based on memory polynomials, Volterra series or adaptive filters—that captures both amplitude-to-amplitude (AM/AM) and amplitude-to-phase (AM/PM) distortions, and a feedback loop that samples the PA output to refine the predistortion function. Recent advances have focused on reducing computational complexity and hardware requirements while extending correction bandwidths to meet the demands of 5G, 6G and millimetre-wave (mmWave) transceivers. Approaches range from sequential two-box structures and sub-Nyquist sampling to novel basis transforms and machine-learning models such as recurrent neural networks. By addressing memory effects, mutual coupling in massive multiple-input–multiple-output arrays and wideband modulation schemes, these techniques underpin energy-efficient, high-fidelity communication across smart-city and satellite platforms.
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Digital Predistortion Techniques for RF Power Amplifier Linearization publication trend
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Technical terms
Digital Predistortion (DPD): A technique that applies an inverse nonlinear characteristic to the baseband signal before amplification, counteracting PA distortion.
Power Amplifier (PA): An RF device that increases signal power for transmission, but exhibits nonlinear behaviour at high efficiency.
Memory Effects: Phenomena in which the PA output depends on past inputs, requiring behavioural models with time-dependent terms.
Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR): A measure of unwanted spectral emissions in neighbouring channels, used to quantify linearisation performance.
Over-the-Air (OTA): A feedback measurement approach capturing radiated signals in the far field, enabling predistorter calibration without direct PA probing.
References
- Reduced Complexity Sequential Digital Predistortion Technique for 5G Applications. Smart Cities (2024).
- A Block-Based LMS Using the Walsh Transform for Digital Predistortion of Power Amplifiers. IEEE Transactions on Communications (2023).
- Digital Predistortion of RF Power Amplifiers With Phase-Gated Recurrent Neural Networks. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques (2022).
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