Baylis, Charles Passant, 1979-2018-05-302018-05-302018-052018-04-17May 2018http://hdl.handle.net/2104/10335In response to the increasingly congested and contested wireless spectrum, the next generation radar must be adaptive and reconfigurable. A reconfigurable power amplifier is a necessary component of the cognitive radar system. The reconfigurable power-amplifier must operate efficiently and stably while maintaining spectrum compliance. The research in this thesis presents state-of-the-art tuning algorithms for optimizing the load reflection coefficient presented to a transistor by novel tunable circuitry. The algorithms are implemented on systems using a varactor diode network and a high-power handling evanescent mode cavity tuner as the tunable load matching networks. In addition, stability considerations are explored. A new amplifier design tool, the frequency Smith Tube, is presented which allows for broadband stability analysis for small-signal inputs. A real-time stability analysis procedure based on the acceleration of transducer gain during optimization is also presented.application/pdfenReconfigurable circuitry. Stability. Optimization. Power amplifier. Amplifier design. Next generation radar. Tunable circuitry.ThesisWorldwide access.Access changed 7/31/20.2018-05-30