The 5G standard transforms connectivity by delivering ultra-high data rates, low latency, and extensive network coverage, supporting the exponential growth of global data exchange. However, these advancements come at the cost of significantly increased energy demands. One of major source of energy consumption in telecommunications is the power amplifiers (PA). The PA has a critical trade-off between linearity and efficiency: while operating at higher efficiency often involves a nonlinear state, this introduces distortion that compromises signal quality and disrupts communication channels. To mitigate this issue, Digital Predistortion (DPD) techniques are extensively employed to linearize PAs and maintain compliance with 5G standards.
This thesis presents an innovative DPD algorithm based on Walsh mathematics. The proposed method combines high performance with low complexity, making it ideal for integration into Walsh-based transceivers. Furthermore, design tools have been developed to evaluate DPD performance during the design phase, along with measurement setups to benchmark DPD algorithms effectively. Lastly, this work proposes an integrated circuit (IC) that performs the Walsh transform at the analog level, which can be used to reduce the computational complexity of the DPD algorithm.
