SCALE-X: A Systematic Complexity-Aware Low-Precision Approach for Digital Predistortion

Abstract

This letter presents SCALE-X, a systematic, complexity-aware, low-precision, model-based digital predistortion (DPD) technique for power amplifiers with enhanced capabilities. The proposed approach employs a novel complexity-aware coefficient pruning method, which, when combined with optimized fixed-point modeling, enables more accurate capture of quantization effects and supports better informed decisions for implementation. Targeted configuration of model order, memory depth, and coefficient bitwidth delivers dramatic cuts in computational overhead without much sacrificing accuracy. Field-programmable gate array implementation demonstrates practical trade-offs with improved overall efficiency.