Analysis of device performance in a Class-E amplifier

The Class-E amplifier is an interesting topology for several high frequency applications, since it has a simple structure and needs only one switch. Circuit efficiency can be further increased, when using soft commutation techniques. For the ZVS class-E amplifier, the parasitic output capacitance of the switch is the most critical design parameter. Even though MOSFETs are the classical devices for such high frequency applications, using a soft switching commutation technique could enable very fast JGBTs to be appropriate devices, since they have the advantage of a much smaller output capacitance than MOSFETs. This work presents a comparison between the performance of IGBT and MOSFET devices in a ZVS class E amplifier designed for several switching frequencies and operating in a power range between 50 W and 200W.