When operating within the linear region of a component, gain through that component is constant for a given frequency. As the input signal is increased in power, a point is reached where the power of the signal at the output is not amplified by the same amount as the smaller signal. At the point where the input signal is amplified by an amount 1 dB less than the small signal gain, the 1 dB Compression Point has been reached. A rapid decrease in gain will be experienced after the 1 dB compression point is reached. If the input power is increased to an extreme value, the component will be destroyed.

Passive, nonlinear components such as diodes also exhibit 1 dB compression points. Indeed, it is the nonlinear active transistors that cause the 1 dB compression point to exist in amplifiers. Of course, a power level can be reached in any device that will eventually destroy it.

A common rule of thumb for the relationship between the 3rd-order intercept point (IP3) and the 1 dB compression point (P1dB) is 10 to 12 dB. Many software packages allow the user to enter a fixed level for the P1dB to be below the IP3. For instance, if a fixed level of 10 dB below IP3 is used and the IP3 for the device is +30 dBm, then the P1dB would be 18 dBm. In order to test the theory, IP3 and P1dB values from 53 randomly chosen amplifiers and mixers were entered into an Excel spreadsheet (see table below). The parts represent a cross-section of silicon and GaAs, FETs, BJTs, and diodes, connectorized and surface mount devices. A mean average and standard deviation was calculated for the sample. As it turns out, the mean is 11.7 dB with a standard deviation of 2.9 dB, so about 68% of the sample has P1dB values that fall between 8.8 dB and 14.6 dB below the IP3 values. What that means is that the long-lived rule of thumb is a pretty good one. A more useful exercise might be to separate the samples into silicon and GaAs to obtain unique (or maybe not) means and standard deviations for each. An interesting sidebar is that where available, the IP2 values were also noted. As can be seen in the chart, the relationship between IP2 and P1dB is not nearly as consistent. Of equal motivation for the investigation was the desire to confirm or discredit the use of the noise figure and IP3 type of cascade formula for use in cascading component P1dB values. As discussed elsewhere, the equation for tracking a component from its linear operating region into its nonlinear region is highly dependent on the entire circuit structure, and one model is not sufficient to cover all instances. Indeed, the more sophisticated (pronounced “very expensive”) system simulators provide the ability to describe a polynomial equation that fits the curve of the measured device. Carrying the calculation through many stages is calculation intensive. Some simulators exploit the rule of thumb of IP3 versus P1dB tracking and simply apply the IP3 cascade equation to P1dB. As with other shortcuts, as long as the user is aware of the approximation and can live with it, it’s a beautiful thing. Cascading P1dB Values in a Chain of Components Calculating the cascaded values for P1dB for the system budget requires the following operation based upon ratios for gain and P1dB (do not use decibel values). The standard format for indicating decibel values is to use upper case letters, i.e., OP1dB for units of dBm. The standard format for indicating watt values is to use lower case letters, i.e., op1dB for units of mW or W. A Typical Chain of Cascaded Components This equation gives the method for calculating cascaded output p1dB (op1dB) values based on the oip3 and gain of each stage. When using the formula in a software program or in a spreadsheet, it is more convenience and efficient to calculate each successive cascaded stage with the one preceding it using the following format: These formulas are used to convert back and forth between input and out P1dB values:   P1dBoutput = P1dBinput + (Gain - 1) dBm P1dBinput = P1dBoutput - (Gain - 1) dBm
Table of IP3, IP2, and P1db Values from Vendor Datasheets Type Mfg Model IP2 IP3 P1dB P1dB-IP2 P1dB-IP3 Amp Amplifonix 2001 36 32 17 19 15 Amp Amplifonix 8701 47 35 25 22 10 Amp Amplifonix 5404 43 33 22 21 11 Amp Couger/Teledyne A2C5119 46 33 19 27 14 Amp Couger/Teledyne A2C4110 54 34 21.5 32.5 12.5 Amp Couger/Teledyne A2CP14225 54 40 28 26 12 Mixer Couger/Teledyne MC1502 35 12   35 12 Amp Mimix Broadband CMM-4000 39 29.5 19   10.5 Amp Mimix Broadband CMM-1110 31 22 13   9 Amp M/A-COM A101 64 36 23 41 13 Amp M/A-COM A231 25 22 10 15 12 Amp M/A-COM AM05-0005 55 37 23 32 14 Amp M/A-COM SMA411 32 24 10   14 Mixer Polyphase IRM0714B 67 15 7.6   7.4 Mixer Polyphase IRM1925B 68 14 8   6 Mixer Amplifonix M53T   13 3.5   9.5 Amp JCA JCA01-301   20 13   7 Amp JCA JCS02-332   33 23   10 Amp Mimix Broadband XL1005   24 16   8 Amp Technology Distribution 0600-0007   25 10   15 Amp Technology Distribution 0600-0025   20 15   5 Amp Technology Distribution 0600-0024A   30 12   18 Amp Stealth Microwave SM3436-34HS   47 34   13 Amp Stealth Microwave SM1925-33   47 33   14 Amp M/A-COM MAALSS0045   32 20   12 Mixer M/A-COM CSM1-10   19 6   13 Mixer M/A-COM M5T   18 7   11 Mixer Marki Microwave M1-0204L   12 2   10 Mixer Marki Microwave M1R-0726M   15 5   10 Mixer Polyphase SSB2425A   19 8   11 Amp Triquint TGA2512-SM   16 6   10 Mixer Triquint CMY 210   24 14   10 Amp Miteq AFS3-00500200-27P-CT-6   38 27   11 Amp Milliwave TMT4-060-180-35-10P-2   20 10   10 Amp Milliwave TMT6-500-750-100-5P-5   14 5   9 Amp Milliwave AMT4-060-180-40-10P-1   22 15   7 Amp Skyworks SKY65013-70LF   29 14   15 Amp Skyworks SKY65015-92LF   35 18   17 Mixer Synergy FSM-2   40 23   17 Mixer Synergy SGM-2-17   18 10   8 Amp Microwave Technology MwT-A989   39 24   15 Amp Hittite HMC376LP3   36 21.5   14.5 Amp Hittite HMC564   24 12   12 Mixer Hittite HMC399MS8   34 24   10 Amp RFIC RFISLNA01   24 14   10 Amp RFMD NBB-302   23.5 13.7   9.8 Amp RFMD RF2878   29 14.4   14.6 Amp NuWaves NILNA-GPS   31 17   14 Amp MCL AMP-15   22 8   14 Amp MCL ZFL-500HLN   30 16   14 Amp MCL ZQL-900LNW   35 21   14 Mixer MCL MCA-19FLH   25 10   15 Mixer MCL MCA-1-12GL   9 1   8         Mean 27.05 11.6566         StdDev 8.1 2.9         Samples 10 53
Cascading of 1 dB Compression points is not a straightforward process, since the curve followed from linear operation into saturation is dependent upon the circuit characteristics. RF Workbench uses an approximation to model the transition from linear operation through saturation.	Click here to view an example cascaded system.