Bridging the Gap between Physical and Circuit Analysis for Variability-Aware Microwave Design: Power Amplifier Design
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors present results of statistical analysis performed in behavior-modeled power amplifiers (a single and a combined 2-branch). Two parameters were used to emulate the variability in the process (doping level and insulator thickness) and several output variables were evaluated under different power conditions.
The authors highly based the work on their previous published papers and perhaps it lacks of comparisons with other works (mainly the results).
The contributions are relevant, but limited.
In general, the paper is well written and it can be published with minor modifications as indicated below (at least on the opinion of this reviewer):
-Please, supply a schematic for simulated PAs (for the sake of the clarity)
- Please, put dimensions in the layout of Figures 3 , 11
- In Fig 4, please, use the same unities for power (dBm or W)
- What is tSiN in line 193?
- In Figure 15, the authors show losses, but the values are dB negative. Please, modify it in order to make it coherent.
- If possible, please include some results showing the impact on intermodulation products ( IIP3, OIP3) and 1dB compression point.
- The authors mention in the conclusion that "...The results obtained highlight the importance of a PIV-aware design approach and thus of the need of efficient statistical models for both the device and the passives ...". Well this affirmation only could be done it the authors had fabricated the circuits, measured them and further compared the results with simulations.
Author Response
Please, see the attached pdf file.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
In this paper, the authors present their methods to bridge the gap between physical and circuit analysis considering the process-induced variability. Both the technical details and the circuit sensitive analysis are clearly described. In this reviewer’s opinion, the paper can well address the ever-growing problem of process reliability in the design of microwave circuits. However, the length of this paper is too long, some details of how to implement their methods into ADS can be removed and focus on the description of their methods or theory instead. There are also some other problems that the authors should pay attention to when preparing their revised paper.
1. The description of the statistical modeling method based on the behavior model should be strengthened in section 2. By the way, has the TCAD model used for generating the behavior model been calibrated using a specific transistor?
2. This paper presents two practical examples of circuit sensitive analysis. However, the validation using measurement results of these two amplifiers is lacking in this paper.
3. The PDK model is used in the power amplifier design. How did the authors obtain the physical parameters of the transistors and calibrate the TCAD models?
4. According to the results in this paper, the established statistical model can be used for sensitive analysis of a circuit. Can this model be directly applied in load-pull simulation for designing passive circuits in the power amplifier while considering the process-induced variability?
Author Response
Please, see the attached pdf file.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
The authors answered my questions well. I recommend this paper for publication in Electronics.
