RF Amplifier PAE (Power Added Efficiency) Calculator

The Power Added Efficiency (PAE) is the industry standard metric for engineers to determine the true efficiency of a standalone amplifier or a multi stage lineup. This page provides an RF Amplifier Power Added Efficiency and standard efficiency calculator. Power conversions from dBW or dBm to Watts are required if power values are given in those units.

EXAMPLE-1: (Amplifier-A High Efficiency)

INPUTS:

• Pin = 2 Watt (7 dB Gain)
• Pout = 10 Watt
• Pdc = 18 Watts

OUTPUTs:

• RF Amplifier PAE (Power Added Efficiency) = 44.4%
• RF Amplifier Standard Efficiency = 55.6%

EXAMPLE-2: (Amplifier-B High Gain)

INPUTS:

• Pin = 0.1 Watt (20 dB Gain)
• Pout = 10 Watt
• Pdc = 25 Watts

OUTPUTs:

• RF Amplifier PAE (Power Added Efficiency) = 39.6 %
• RF Amplifier Standard Efficiency = 40.0%

Note: Always ensure your input values are in the correct units (Watts) for accurate calculations. If your power values are in dBW or dBm, convert them to Watts before using the calculator.

RF Amplifier PAE - Power Added Efficiency Equation

While standard efficiency (Drain Efficiency) tells you how well an amplifier converts DC power into RF power, it ignores a critical factor i.e. the RF Input Power required to drive the device.

Understanding the efficiency of an RF amplifier is crucial for analyzing the amount of power dissipated as heat. This parameter is essential when designing heat sinks for RF amplifiers.

There are three primary types of efficiency: power added efficiency (PAE), overall efficiency, and drain efficiency.

The following equation is used for the RF Amplifier PAE calculator:

Where:

• PAE = Power Added Efficiency (expressed as a percentage)
• Pout = Output Power (in Watts)
• Pin = Input Power (in Watts)
• Pdc = DC Power Consumption (in Watts), calculated as the product of the supply voltage and current (Pdc = V * I)

Standard Efficiency Formula

The standard efficiency (Drain Efficiency) only looks at how well the transistor converts DC to RF. It ignores the RF power you had to put into the device. The standard efficiency (Drain Efficiency) of an RF amplifier is calculated using the following formula:

Where:

• Efficiency = Standard Efficiency (expressed as a percentage)
• Pout = Output Power (in Watts)
• Pdc = DC Power Consumption (in Watts), calculated as the product of the supply voltage and current (Pdc = Vds * Ids)

Comparison of PAE and Standard Efficiency

The key difference between PAE and standard efficiency is that PAE accounts for the input power (Pin) in its calculation, while standard efficiency does not. This means that PAE provides a more accurate representation of the amplifier’s efficiency, especially in cases where the input power is significant compared to the output power. In contrast, standard efficiency may overestimate the efficiency of an amplifier by ignoring the input power, leading to less accurate assessments of performance.

Conclusion

The RF Amplifier PAE (Power Added Efficiency) Calculator is a valuable tool for engineers and designers to evaluate the efficiency of RF amplifiers. By inputting the output power, input power, and DC power consumption, users can determine the true efficiency of their amplifier designs. This information is crucial for optimizing performance and managing heat dissipation in RF applications. Always ensure that your input values are in the correct units for accurate calculations.