GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
The goal of this research is the exploration of new methods of designing electronic circuits so that cellular telephone battery lifetimes are dramatically longer and the phones themselves cost less. This is done by developing new techniques that only take energy from the battery when it is absolutely needed to make the call, and no other time. The other technique we are planning to investigate is to use circuit approaches that use the cheapest available semiconductor technology; these circuits today typically use very expensive approaches, which raises the cost of the cellular phone.

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:
The goal of this research is the exploration of novel system architectures and circuit design concepts for RF and microwave power amplifiers and transmitter building blocks appropriate for "next-generation" wireless system applications that will require extremely wide bandwidth in conjunction with exacting linearity and power-efficiency specifications. This particular research mission is critical to the next generation of wireless communications devices - both for mobile voice-oriented communications links as well as higher bandwidth fixed point-to-point links. The critical nature of this effort is due to the increasing simultaneous need for bandwidth-efficiency - requiring higher order modulations and wide spreading bandwidths - and low dc power requirements - requiring operation in a highly "switched" mode of operation for peak efficiency. These two requirements are at almost complete odds with each other, and require some significant and creative new approaches to realize improved performance.

PARTICIPATING FACULTY:
The following CWC faculty are participating in this research project: Larry Larson(lead PI), Peter Asbeck, Bang-Sup Song, and Ian Galton.