EP1815593A1 - Amplificateur de puissance pour l'amplification de signaux a haute frequence (hf) - Google Patents

Amplificateur de puissance pour l'amplification de signaux a haute frequence (hf)

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Publication number
EP1815593A1
EP1815593A1 EP05808222A EP05808222A EP1815593A1 EP 1815593 A1 EP1815593 A1 EP 1815593A1 EP 05808222 A EP05808222 A EP 05808222A EP 05808222 A EP05808222 A EP 05808222A EP 1815593 A1 EP1815593 A1 EP 1815593A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
amplifier
gate
power amplifier
gate terminal
terminal
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP05808222A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Manfred Berroth
Lei Wu
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Universitaet Stuttgart
Original Assignee
Universitaet Stuttgart
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Universitaet Stuttgart filed Critical Universitaet Stuttgart
Publication of EP1815593A1 publication Critical patent/EP1815593A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/189—High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers
    • H03F3/19—High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers with semiconductor devices only
    • H03F3/195—High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers with semiconductor devices only in integrated circuits
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F1/02—Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation
    • H03F1/0205—Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation in transistor amplifiers
    • H03F1/0277—Selecting one or more amplifiers from a plurality of amplifiers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F1/08—Modifications of amplifiers to reduce detrimental influences of internal impedances of amplifying elements
    • H03F1/22—Modifications of amplifiers to reduce detrimental influences of internal impedances of amplifying elements by use of cascode coupling, i.e. earthed cathode or emitter stage followed by earthed grid or base stage respectively
    • H03F1/223—Modifications of amplifiers to reduce detrimental influences of internal impedances of amplifying elements by use of cascode coupling, i.e. earthed cathode or emitter stage followed by earthed grid or base stage respectively with MOSFET's
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F1/52—Circuit arrangements for protecting such amplifiers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F1/00—Details of amplifiers with only discharge tubes, only semiconductor devices or only unspecified devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F1/52—Circuit arrangements for protecting such amplifiers
    • H03F1/523—Circuit arrangements for protecting such amplifiers for amplifiers using field-effect devices
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/20—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers
    • H03F3/21—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers with semiconductor devices only
    • H03F3/211—Power amplifiers, e.g. Class B amplifiers, Class C amplifiers with semiconductor devices only using a combination of several amplifiers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/42—Amplifiers with two or more amplifying elements having their DC paths in series with the load, the control electrode of each element being excited by at least part of the input signal, e.g. so-called totem-pole amplifiers
    • H03F3/423—Amplifiers with two or more amplifying elements having their DC paths in series with the load, the control electrode of each element being excited by at least part of the input signal, e.g. so-called totem-pole amplifiers with MOSFET's
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/60—Amplifiers in which coupling networks have distributed constants, e.g. with waveguide resonators
    • H03F3/602—Combinations of several amplifiers
    • H03F3/604—Combinations of several amplifiers using FET's
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F3/00—Amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements
    • H03F3/72—Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2200/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers
    • H03F2200/451—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03F—AMPLIFIERS
    • H03F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers with only discharge tubes or only semiconductor devices as amplifying elements covered by H03F3/00
    • H03F2203/72—Indexing scheme relating to gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
    • H03F2203/7215—Indexing scheme relating to gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal the gated amplifier being switched on or off by a switch at the input of the amplifier

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a power amplifier for amplifying radio frequency (RF) signals comprising:
  • Amplifier element of the series circuit is connected; an RF output, which has a second
  • Amplifier element of the series circuit is connected; at least one voltage applied to a ground potential
  • Amplifier element to the last amplifier element; and at least one resistor each between the
  • a designed power amplifier is known from US 6,137,367. It can be used in microwave components for power amplification, more specifically in high power semiconductor amplifiers. In particular, the power amplifier can be used where there are special requirements with regard to the output impedance of a component, for example in satellite transmitters, and / or with regard to the available voltage, for example in battery-powered mobile telephones or the like.
  • CMOS complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
  • GaAs technology Due to the particular electrical requirements of some components in a mobile phone, in particular with respect to voltage and power resistance, however, these components must be realized in the GaAs technology according to the current state of the art. Semiconductors realized in GaAs technology are currently able to withstand breakdown voltages of more than 8 volts. In addition, components made in this technology allow much faster flow of electrons. This means that hitherto, due to the special electrical requirements, in particular HF power amplifiers for mobile phones in GaAs technology have been realized.
  • the voltage applied to the series circuit is split among the individual amplifier elements (these can also be referred to as semiconductor switches or semiconductor elements and are, for example, designed as transistors) of the series circuit, so that the voltage at each amplifier element is between Drain terminal and source terminal voltage applied UD S is only a fraction of the voltage applied to the series circuit supply voltage U d . In this way, it is attempted to keep the voltage UD S between drain and source below a breakdown voltage of the amplifier element in order to avoid a deterioration of the functionality or even damage of the amplifier element.
  • the resistors are selected such that approximately the same drain-source voltage UDS is applied to each amplifier element. This means that each amplifier element is operated at the same operating point and that the same current flows through all amplifier elements. At the operating point of the amplifier elements, although the voltage U DS between drain and source is approximately the same for all amplifier elements. However, in practice this has the negative side effect, in particular that between the gate terminal and the drain terminal but also the applied between the gate terminal and the source terminal RF voltages U GS are distributed unevenly on the amplifier elements and therefore at one or more of the amplifier elements, the breakdown voltage is exceeded.
  • the present invention is therefore based on the object to design an RF power amplifier of the type mentioned and further, that it can be realized in compliance with the electrical requirements imposed on him in the CMOS technology with low gate lengths.
  • a power amplifier of the type mentioned is proposed, which is characterized by at least one limiting path, which is connected between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of at least one amplifier element of the series connection of the first to the penultimate amplifier element, wherein the Limiting path in response to the voltage applied between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of the amplifier element voltage between a pass state and a blocking state is switchable.
  • the circuit of the RF power amplifier by a Begrenzungspfad between Added drain and gate of at least one of the amplifier elements (except the last amplifier element). If, during operation of the power amplifier, the voltage U GD applied between the gate and drain exceeds a predefinable voltage value, preferably a value equal to or slightly below the breakdown voltage, the limiting path is switched to an on-state so that the maximum gate-drain voltage UGD is limited is (ie, the gate voltage is pulled up) to achieve a uniform voltage distribution to the amplifier elements of the amplifier and to prevent damage to the amplifier element effectively.
  • a predefinable voltage value preferably a value equal to or slightly below the breakdown voltage
  • the limiting path must first be switchable in any way so that it can be switched between the on-state and the off-state.
  • an arbitrarily ausgestaltetes switching element can be used, which is formed for example as a transistor or as a diode.
  • the limiting path must have a certain resistance value by which, together with the threshold voltage of the limiting path, the threshold voltage of the switching element can be adjusted.
  • the path is switched on.
  • the gate voltage is then pulled up by the drain voltage.
  • No protective components such as protective diodes, are arranged in the path in order to protect the amplifier elements from excessive voltage. This is according to the invention in a particularly simple manner solely by the uniform distribution of stress on the amplifier elements and the Pulling up the gate voltage achieved by the drain voltage.
  • the RF power amplifier comprises only one branch with a series connection of a plurality of amplifier elements.
  • a plurality of branches each of which comprises a series connection of a plurality of amplifier elements, in a parallel connection.
  • a power amplifier of the type mentioned above which comprises a plurality of parallel-connected branches, of which at least one branch is an input branch and at least one other branch is an output branch, wherein
  • each of the branches comprises a plurality of amplifier elements each having a gain channel and a gate terminal for controlling the amplification channel, the amplification channels of the amplifier elements being connected in series within a branch;
  • the power amplifier comprises an RF input connected via a first matching network to the gate terminal of the first amplifier element of the series circuits of the branches;
  • the power amplifier comprises an RF output, which is connected via a second matching network to a drain terminal of the last amplifier elements of the series circuits of the branches; each of the branches comprises at least one capacitor connected to a ground potential, in each case at the gate terminal of the second amplifier element up to the last amplifier element; each of the branches has at least one resistor each between the control terminals of adjacent ones Amplifier elements and at least one resistor between the gate terminal and the drain terminal of the last amplifier element comprises; and each of the branches comprises at least one limiting path connected between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of at least one of the amplifier elements of the series connection of the branches from the first amplifier element to the penultimate amplifier element, the limiting path being dependent on one between the drain Terminal and the gate terminal of the amplifier element voltage applied between an on state and a blocking state is switchable.
  • the current flowing through the power amplifier is distributed to the various transistor branches, so that the power amplifier can process a total of a multiple of the current flowing through one of the branches.
  • at least one limiting path is arranged in each of the transistor branches, so that, if necessary, the gate-drain voltage applied to the amplifier element associated with the limiting path can be restricted.
  • the limiting path arranged according to the invention between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of an amplifier element may alternatively or additionally also be arranged between a source terminal and the gate terminal of a semiconductor conductor switch.
  • a source-gate voltage could then be limited via a limiting path arranged in this way as soon as it exceeds a predefinable threshold value, by means of which the limiting path is switched to an on-state.
  • a switching element for switching the limiting path between the on-state and the blocking state is arranged in the limiting path.
  • the switching element is preferably designed as a semiconductor switch. In particular, it is intended to form the semiconductor switch as a diode.
  • the semiconductor switch has a switching path and a gate terminal for switching the switching path, wherein the gate terminal is short-circuited to a drain terminal of the semiconductor switch.
  • the semiconductor switch may also be formed as a transistor in which the gate terminal is short-circuited to the drain terminal.
  • Such a connected transistor works like a diode.
  • a resistance element is arranged in the limiting path.
  • This resistance element is designed for example as an ohmic resistance, but may also be designed differently.
  • the threshold voltage can be set, after which the limiting path is switched to the on state and the gate voltage applied to the amplifier element is pulled up through the limiting path.
  • the limiting path may be connected between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of any amplifier elements of the series circuit. According to a preferred embodiment, however, it is proposed that a limiting path only between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of the penultimate amplifier element of Series circuit is switched. It can be demonstrated mathematically and prove by practical experiments that with a series connection of the amplification channels of several amplifier elements of the power amplifier according to the invention, the drain-gate voltage at the penultimate amplifier element assumes greater values than at the other amplifier elements of the series circuit. The voltage which builds up between the gate terminal and the drain terminal of the penultimate amplifier element can easily be greater than 1.5 volts, ie above the breakdown voltage of a CMOS transistor.
  • the penultimate amplifier element of a series circuit is thus that amplifier element of the series circuit which is the most endangered. Now, if a limiting path between the drain terminal and the gate terminal is connected exactly this most vulnerable amplifier element of the series circuit, a deterioration of the function or even damage this amplifier element and thus in most cases the entire power amplifier can be reliably avoided.
  • a first limiting path between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of the penultimate amplifier element and a further limiting path between the drain terminal and the gate terminal of the first amplifier element of the series circuit is connected. It can be proved theoretically and prove in practical experiments that after the penultimate amplifier element, the first amplifier element of the series circuit is particularly at risk for an increased gate-drain voltage.
  • a limiting path is connected to the two most vulnerable amplifier elements, namely the penultimate and the first amplifier element of the series circuit, so that the voltage applied to these amplifier elements gate-drain voltage If necessary effectively limited and impairment of the function or even damage to these amplifier elements and thus the entire power amplifier can be avoided.
  • a limiting path is connected in each case between the drain terminal and the gate terminal from the first amplifier element to the penultimate amplifier element of the series circuit. According to this embodiment, therefore, a limiting path is provided between gate and drain with the exception of the last amplifier element between all the amplifier elements of the series circuit, so that reliably prevents damage to the amplifier elements and thus the entire power amplifier due to excessive drain-gate voltages in each case and under all conditions can be.
  • a power amplifier according to the invention having a plurality of branches, it is particularly advantageous if, with the exception of the output branch, at least one of the branches as a function of a desired output power of the
  • Power amplifier zuschaltbaf can be switched off.
  • the output power of the power amplifier can be varied.
  • Such a variation of the output power is required for mobile phones, for example, to be able to ensure a secure and reliable signal transmission even in a poor connection, for example in narrow street canyons or in a building, to a receiving antenna of a base station. In such cases, then will be sent with a higher output power. However, this is accompanied by an increased energy consumption, so that the output power is reduced again with better reception conditions so as to extend the life of the energy storage.
  • a variation of the output power is possible by the proposed switching on and off of individual branches of the circuit of the power amplifier according to the invention in a particularly simple manner.
  • Another advantage of varying the output power of the power amplifier by switching on and off individual branches is that the power amplifier according to the invention, regardless of the number of connected branches, that is, regardless of the available output power, always with a good, ideally even with an optimal Efficiency is operated. This is because the total DC current is scaled by the number of active branches, which keeps the efficiency approximately constant. This is different in the power amplifiers known from the prior art.
  • the gain of a known power amplifier always remains constant due to its constant gate width.
  • the variation of the output power comes only from the different input powers, which are equal to the output powers of a variable preamplifier.
  • a typical variable preamplifier is z.
  • PGA Programmable Gain Amplifier
  • VGA Variable Gain Amplifier
  • CMOS Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor
  • CMOS complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor
  • the power amplifier can be formed with very high output power in CMOS technology with very short gate length, without causing a malfunction or even damage to the amplifier elements and thus the entire power amplifier.
  • the connection and disconnection of individual branches of the power amplifier according to the invention can be realized in the CMOS technology in a particularly simple manner by the applied polarities are simply reversed or reduced to zero on a CMOS gate. In this way, the branches can be easily switched on or off by means of voltage reversal or voltage disconnection.
  • the present invention makes it possible for the first time to produce an HF power amplifier with very high output power in CMOS technology with a very short gate length, it is now possible to use all the components of an overall system, for.
  • a mobile phone including the RF power amplifier, on a single semiconductor device (chip) to produce highly integrated.
  • the one chip in the production of mobile phones is much easier to handle than before, the various modules manufactured in different technologies.
  • Figure 1 is a circuit of an inventive
  • Figure 2 is a circuit of an inventive
  • Figure 3 is a circuit of an inventive
  • Figure 4 shows a circuit of an inventive
  • Figure 5 is a circuit of a known from the prior art power amplifier.
  • FIG. 6 shows voltage curves at the gate and drain of FIG
  • FIG. 5 shows a circuit of a power amplifier, as is known, for example, from US Pat. No. 6,137,367.
  • the power amplifier is used to amplify radio frequency (RF) signals, such as transmission signals in mobile phones.
  • the known power amplifier comprises a plurality of amplifier elements Tl to T4, each having a gain channel and a gate terminal for controlling the gain channel.
  • the amplifier elements are, for example, designed as semiconductor switches, preferably as transistors.
  • the amplification channels of the transistors Tl to T4 are located between the drain terminal D and the source terminal S of the transistors.
  • the Amplification channels of the transistors Tl to T4 are connected in a series connection.
  • a supply voltage Ud for the amplifier elements Tl to T4 is applied to a first terminal 1 via a coil Ld.
  • the inductor Ld By means of the inductor Ld, the DC component of a current can flow into the power amplifier, whereby a high-frequency input signal in the opposite direction is not transmitted.
  • the source terminal S of the first transistor Tl at the other end of the series circuit is connected to a ground potential.
  • the known power amplifier also has an RF input 2, which is connected via a first matching network 3 to the gate terminal G of the first amplifier element Ti of the series circuit.
  • a predeterminable fixed potential U 9 is applied to a second terminal 4 via a second choke coil L 9 .
  • the inductors Ld and L 9 are used in particular to avoid a loss of RF energy.
  • the circuit also comprises an RF output 5, which is connected via a second matching network 6 to a drain terminal D of the last amplifier element T 4 of the series circuit.
  • the matching networks 3, 6 serve primarily to match the impedance of the illustrated circuit to the input impedance at the RF input 2 and to the output impedance at the RF output 5.
  • the known power amplifier also comprises three capacitors C 2 to Cj.
  • the control connections G are in each case connected to the ground potential via one of the capacitors C 2 to C 4 .
  • the circuit also includes three resistors R 2 to R4, wherein between the control terminals G of in the Series connection of successive amplifier elements Ti, T 2 ; T 2 , T 3 ; T 3 , T4 each one of the resistors R 2 to R 4 is connected.
  • the drain terminal D is connected via a further resistor R5 as a feedback to the gate terminal G.
  • the further resistor R5 is small in comparison to the resistors R 2 to R 4 , under certain circumstances even negligible. In this case, the resistor R5 may be replaced by an electric wire.
  • the circuit of a known power amplifier shown in Figure 5 is formed in GaAs technology.
  • the amplifier element Ti to T 4 inserted between the drain terminal D and the source terminal S of one of the series-connected amplifier elements is limited to values up to about 10 volts. Accordingly, the supply voltage Ud is divided by the serially connected resistors R 2 to R5, so that a suitable drain-source voltage U DS is applied to each of the transistors Ti to T 4 . This means that the resistors R 2 to R5 work as a voltage divider.
  • the resistors R 2 to R5 are adjusted so that the transistors Ti to T 4 operate in their respective operating point. This means that the drain-source voltages U DS / are applied to the transistors Ti to T 4 of the series circuit, and thus the currents flowing through the transistors Ti to T 4 are the same size.
  • the capacitors C 2 to C 4 different source impedances of the transistors T 2 to T 4 are set so that the transistors have different RF drain voltages.
  • the capacitance of the capacitors C 2 to C 4 the large RF drain voltage of Transistor T 4 is distributed to all the transistors T to T. 4
  • the voltages U GD and U GS applied between the gate and drain and the gate and source voltages, respectively can assume relatively large values of several volts, if the output power is very high. This is particularly a problem when trying to form the circuit known in the prior art in CMOS technology.
  • the problem is further exacerbated by attempting to use smaller sized transistors Ti to T 4 , ie, transistors having a smaller gate length in the range of less than 0.15 ⁇ m, and hence also a thinner oxide layer of gate G.
  • the breakdown voltage is about 1.5 V.
  • FIG. 6 shows various voltage profiles from the circuit in 0.12 ⁇ m CMOS technology according to the embodiment from FIG. The voltage curves were plotted over a period of 2 nanoseconds (ns). The voltage is plotted in volts (V).
  • FIG. 6 initially shows the input voltage Ui n present at the RF input 2, as well as the output voltage U ou t resulting at the HF output 5.
  • the gate-drain voltage U GD / resulting from the difference between the gate potential U g i and the drain potential Udi at the penultimate transistor T 3 of all the transistors Ti to T 4 is the largest.
  • the gate-drain voltage U G D at the penultimate transistor T3 reaches a value of 2.2 V, ie, the voltage UGD exceeds the allowable breakdown voltage of about 1.5 V by far.
  • the gate-drain voltage U G D at the first transistor Ti is significantly higher with 1.65 V. the permissible breakdown voltage of a transistor realized in 0.12 ⁇ m CMOS technology.
  • the circuit known from the prior art is not suitable for implementation in CMOS technology with a short gate length because of the uneven voltage distribution for an HF power amplifier.
  • the invention proposes a limiting path 7 between the drain terminal D and the gate terminal G of at least one of the amplifier elements from the first amplifier element Ti to the penultimate amplifier element T 3 (ie not at the last amplifier element T 4 ) turn.
  • FIG. 1 A circuit of an inventive RF power amplifier according to a first preferred embodiment is shown in FIG.
  • the same reference numerals as in FIG. 5 are used for the same components.
  • only one limiting path 7 is connected between the drain terminal D and the gate terminal G of the penultimate transistor T 3 .
  • the limiting path 7 may be switched between an on-state and a off-state depending on the gate-drain voltage U GD applied between the gate G and the drain D of the transistor T3.
  • a switching element 8 is arranged in the line 7, which may be formed, for example, as a semiconductor switch, preferably as a diode.
  • the switching element 8 is formed as a semiconductor switch, preferably as a transistor Td, in which a drain terminal D is short-circuited to the gate terminal G.
  • a connected transistor T ⁇ j works like a diode.
  • another resistance element 9 is arranged, which has the resistance value Rd.
  • the resistance element 9 is preferably designed as an ohmic resistance.
  • the maximum value of the voltage applied to the penultimate transistor T 3 gate-drain voltage U GD can be limited if necessary.
  • the degraded voltage component is distributed to the other transistors Ti, T 2 and T4.
  • the threshold voltage from which the limiting path 7 is switched from the off-state to the on-state can be set.
  • the threshold voltage of the limiting path 7 is preferably the breakdown voltage of the transistors Ti to T 4 or a voltage value which is slightly smaller than the breakdown voltage, selected to ensure that the limiting path 7 switches into the on state in good time before reaching the breakdown voltage.
  • the limiting path 7 is automatically switched to the on-state. This has the consequence that the gate potential U g is pulled up by the drain potential U d (so-called boosting). But it is also conceivable that the gate terminal G of the transistor T 3 is positively biased. In this case, the gate-drain voltage U G D of the penultimate transistor T3 is reduced.
  • the series circuit comprises four transistors Ti to T 4 .
  • the present invention can be realized with more or less than four transistors.
  • These further limiting paths would also have a switching element for switching over the limiting paths between an on-state and a blocking state, and a resistance element via which, together with the dimension of the switching element, the threshold voltage of the limiting path can be set.
  • the limiting path 7 is connected between the gate terminal G and the drain terminal D of the penultimate transistor T3.
  • the limiting path 7 could also be connected between the gate terminal G and the drain terminal D of the second transistor T 2 or the first transistor Ti.
  • FIG. 2 shows a circuit of an RF power amplifier according to the invention is shown according to a second preferred embodiment, wherein in addition to the first Begrenzungspfad 7 'between the gate terminal G and the drain terminal D of the penultimate transistor T 3, a further limiting path 7 "between the Gate terminal G and the drain terminal D of the first transistor Ti is connected .. Also in the further limiting path 7 ", a switching element 8" and a resistance element 9 "is arranged with a resistance value Rd.
  • the arrangement of the further limiting path 7 "between gate G and drain D of the first transistor Ti makes sense, since the first transistor Ti after the penultimate transistor T 3 is the transistor on which the largest gate drain during operation of the HF power amplifier voltage U DG is applied (see FIG. 6).
  • FIG. 3 shows a circuit of an RF power amplifier according to the invention in accordance with a third preferred embodiment.
  • a third limiting path 7" is connected between the gate terminal G and the drain terminal D of the second transistor T 2 .
  • a switching element 8 '''and a resistance element 9''' with the resistance value Rd are also arranged in the third limiting path 7 ''.
  • the gate-drain voltage applied to the second transistor T 2 is prevented by the third limiting path 7 '' UGD exceeds the breakdown voltage of the transistor.
  • the circuit of the RF power amplifier shown in Figure 3 have all the transistors of the series circuit of the last transistor T4 first transistor Ti to the penultimate transistor T 3 via a limiting path. 7
  • the illustrated RF power amplifier has only one branch with a plurality of transistors Ti to T 4 connected in series.
  • various measures are conceivable.
  • the gate length and the thickness of the gate oxide layer remain the same, so that the breakdown voltage also remains the same.
  • Conventional transistors in CMOS technology have a gate width of typically less than 500 ⁇ m.
  • the RF power amplifier according to the invention can process currents of about 1 A, so that output powers of about 2 W are possible. It is necessary to increase the gate width to several millimeters. For example, a gate width of 3.4 mm is conceivable.
  • branches each with a plurality of amplifier elements Ti to T 4 connected in series, are connected in parallel next to one another.
  • Such a designed RF power amplifier is shown by way of example in FIG.
  • the illustrated power amplifier comprises an input branch 10 and an output branch 11. Between the input branch 10 and the output branch 11, a further branch 12 is connected in parallel with the other two branches 10, 11 in the present exemplary embodiment.
  • several more branches 12 (indicated by the dashed Connecting lines between the other branch 12 and the output branch 11) or only the two branches 10, 11 provide.
  • Each of the branches 10 to 12 comprises a plurality of amplifier elements, for example as
  • Each amplifier element Ti to T 4 has an amplification channel between the drain terminal D and the source terminal S and a gate terminal G for controlling the amplification channel DS.
  • the power amplifier has the RF input 2 which, via the first matching network 3, is connected to the gate terminal G of the first amplifier elements Ti of the series circuits of the branches 10,
  • Each of the branches 10 to 12 comprises at least one capacitor C 2 to C 4 , which is applied to a ground potential, in each case at the gate terminal G of the second amplifier element T 2 to the last amplifier element T 4 .
  • each of the branches 10 to 12 comprises three resistors R 2 to R 4 respectively between the control terminals G of adjacent amplifier elements Ti to T 4 and a resistor Rs between the gate terminal G and the drain terminal D of the last amplifier element T 4 .
  • Each of the branches 10 to 12 comprises at least one limiting path 7, wherein in FIG. 4, for better clarity, a limiting path 7 is provided only for the penultimate amplifier element T 3 of the output branch is shown.
  • Each of the branches 10 to 12 of the circuit shown in Figure 4 may be formed according to one of the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 3 and have one, two or three limiting paths 7.
  • the output power applied to the HF output 5 can be varied in a particularly simple manner.
  • the output branch 11 simply individual branches 10, 12 of the circuit selectively switched on or off depending on the desired output power of the power amplifier.
  • the input branch 10 and the further branch 12 are switched on and off.
  • a switching element 13 is arranged between the first matching network 3 and the gate terminal G of the first amplifier element Ti of the branches 10, 12, which can be actuated in dependence on the desired output power of the power amplifier.
  • the switching element 13 may be formed, for example, as a semiconductor switch, in particular as a transfer gate. By opening or closing the switching element 13 of the entire branch 10 and 12 off or switched on. If the switching elements 13 are opened in both branches 10, 12, the circuit shown in Figure 4 corresponds to the circuits shown in Figures 1 to 3 with only one branch, namely the output branch 11. The control of the switching elements 13, for example, by a higher-level control unit a mobile phone.
  • an RF power amplifier as for example from the US 6,137,367 is known to realize in a CMOS technology with a very short gate length.
  • chip semiconductor component

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Amplifiers (AREA)

Abstract

Amplificateur de puissance HF qui possède plusieurs branches (10, 11, 12) connectées les unes aux autres en parallèle. Chaque branche comporte plusieurs éléments amplificateurs (T1, , T4) connectés en série. Des résistances (R2, ..., R5) permettent d'ajuster la tension (U_DS) appliquée aux éléments amplificateurs (T1, , T4) dans les branches (10, 11, 12) en tant que fraction d'une tension d'alimentation (Ud) appliquée aux branches (10, 11, 12). Des condensateurs (C2, ..., C4) servent à ajuster l'impédance source des éléments amplificateurs (T2, ..., T4). Selon la présente invention, pour empêcher que la tension grille-drain (U_GD) ne dépasse la tension de claquage d'un élément amplificateur (T1, ...,T4) et que ledit élément amplificateur (T1, , T4) ne s'en trouve endommagé, un chemin de limitation (7) est connecté entre la connexion de grille (G) et la connexion de drain (D) de l'élément amplificateur (T1, ..,T4), ledit chemin de limitation pouvant être commuté en fonction de la tension grille-drain (U_GD) entre un état de conduction et un état de blocage.
EP05808222A 2004-11-23 2005-11-10 Amplificateur de puissance pour l'amplification de signaux a haute frequence (hf) Withdrawn EP1815593A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102004056435A DE102004056435A1 (de) 2004-11-23 2004-11-23 Leistungsverstärker zum Verstärken von Hochfrequenz(HF)-Signalen
PCT/EP2005/012021 WO2006056321A1 (fr) 2004-11-23 2005-11-10 Amplificateur de puissance pour l'amplification de signaux a haute frequence (hf)

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EP1815593A1 true EP1815593A1 (fr) 2007-08-08

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US (1) US7551036B2 (fr)
EP (1) EP1815593A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE102004056435A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2006056321A1 (fr)

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US20080265997A1 (en) 2008-10-30
DE102004056435A1 (de) 2006-06-01
US7551036B2 (en) 2009-06-23

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