Efficient Optimization Using Experimental Queries Paper: Efficient Optimization Using Experimental Queries: A Peak-Search Algorithm for Efficient Load-Pull Measurements

In the process of hardware optimization, physical queries requiring laboratory experiments are often necessary. This is similar to optimization using soft-ware where queries are made to a computer model. In both the laboratory optimization and optimiza-tion using computer models, queries come at a cost: laboratory time or computer time. Finding efficient searches using a small number of queries on average is therefore motivated. In this paper, techniques used in computer search are shown to be transparently ap-plicable to certain instances of hardware optimization. The hardware example presented is a load-pull peak-search algorithm for power amplifier load-impedance optimization. The successful search shown in this pa-per allows high-resolution measurement of the maxi-mum power with a significant reduction in the num-ber of measured reflection-coefficient states. The use of computationally intelligent procedures for reducing time costs in design optimization using hardware has significant potential applications in a number of iter-ative experimental procedures performed in the labo-ratory