High frequency power amplifier

Claim 2

An amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for producing a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude, comprising: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of an input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the amplifier, and each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

Claim 3

The amplifier of claim 1, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

Claim 4

The amplifier of claim 1, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

Claim 5

The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

Claim 6

The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

Claim 7

The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

Claim 8

The amplifier of claim 6, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

Claim 9

The amplifier of claim 1, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 10

An amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for producing a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude, comprising: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of an input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the amplifier, and each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 11

An amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for producing a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude, comprising: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of an input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the amplifier, and each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 12

The amplifier of claim 9, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

Claim 13

The amplifier of claim 9, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

Claim 14

The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

Claim 15

The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

Claim 16

The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

Claim 17

The amplifier of claim 14, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

Claim 18

The amplifier of claim 9, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

Claim 19

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier, and each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

Claim 20

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier, and each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

Claim 21

The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

Claim 22

The power amplifier of claim 18, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

Claim 23

The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

Claim 24

The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

Claim 25

The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

Claim 26

The power amplifier of claim 22, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

Claim 27

The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter.

Claim 28

The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein the IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC.

Claim 29

The power amplifier of claim 25, wherein said high breakdown voltage transistors are MOSFETS.

Claim 30

The power amplifier of claim 26, wherein said MOSFETS are configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.

Claim 31

The power amplifier of claim 17, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 32

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter, and said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier.

Claim 33

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter, and said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage, discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier.

Claim 34

The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

Claim 35

The power amplifier of claim 30, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

Claim 36

The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

Claim 37

The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

Claim 38

The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

Claim 39

The power amplifier of claim 34, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

Claim 40

The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

Claim 41

The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein the IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC.

Claim 42

The power amplifier of claim 37, wherein said high breakdown voltage transistors are MOSFETS.

Claim 43

The power amplifier of claim 38, wherein said MOSFETS are configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.

Claim 44

The power amplifier of claim 29, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 45

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC, each of said two high breakdown voltage transistors being configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration, and said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier.

Claim 46

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC, each of said two high breakdown voltage transistors being configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration, and said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier.

Claim 47

The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

Claim 48

The power amplifier of claim 42, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

Claim 49

The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

Claim 50

The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

Claim 51

The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

Claim 52

The power amplifier of claim 46, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

Claim 53

The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

Claim 54

The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter.

Claim 55

The power amplifier of claim 41, wherein each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 56

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier, and each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 57

A wideband, multi-kilowatt, high efficiency, quasi-linear, HF power amplifier, comprising: a final power amplifier, with an instantaneous bandwidth of two-thirds of an octave in the middle high frequency RF spectrum between 3 MHz and 30 MHz and with greater than 80% power conversion efficiency, for amplifying an input RF signal to a multiple kilowatt continuous wave amplitude RF signal while operating directly from a variable, high voltage, DC power source that provides between about 100 to 200 VDC depending on a selected power amplitude; and a driver amplifier and intermediate power amplifier (IPA) for providing said input RF signal to said final power amplifier, wherein said final power amplifier comprises: a first group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals; and a second group of two or more high conductivity, high breakdown voltage discrete transistors connected substantially in parallel and isolated from each other by independent circuits connected at their input and output terminals, wherein said first group and said second group are combined so that each group conducts on opposite half cycles of said input RF signal, thereby permitting push-pull operation of the final power amplifier, and each of said independent circuits connected to said output terminals of said first group of transistors comprises a parallel resonant L-C resonator circuit connected in series with a series resonant L-C resonator circuit.

Claim 58

The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein said discrete transistors are discrete packaged available DC-market type transistors.

Claim 59

The power amplifier of claim 52, wherein said transistors are in a TO-247 package.

Claim 60

The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a bipolar junction transistor.

Claim 61

The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors is an insulated gate bipolar transistor.

Claim 62

The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a field effect transistor.

Claim 63

The power amplifier of claim 56, wherein each of said discrete transistors is a metal-oxide silicon field effect transistor (MOSFET).

Claim 64

The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein each of said discrete transistors has a grounded drain, common source configuration.

Claim 65

The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein said driver amplifier has two stages of amplification, the first stage comprising a high gain, class A bipolar transistor, and the second stage comprising a class A, bipolar, discrete transistor operating as a power limiter.

Claim 66

The power amplifier of claim 51, wherein the IPA comprises two high breakdown voltage transistors operating at a voltage less than about 100 VDC.

Claim 67

The power amplifier of claim 60, wherein said high breakdown voltage transistors are MOSFETS.

Claim 68

The power amplifier of claim 61, wherein said MOSFETS are configured in a DC grounded-drain, RF common source circuit configuration.