Skyworks Solutions, Inc.

Hongxiao Shao

Peter J Zampardi

Weimin Sun

David Steven Ripley

Philip John Lehtola

Matthew Ozalas

Tin Myint Ko

Guohao Zhang

Hardik Bhupendra Modi

Sandra Louise Petty-Weeks

Hong Shen

Dinhphuoc Vu Hoang

Hsiang-Chih Sun

Jens Albrecht Riege

Xiaofang Mu

Mehran Janani

Anthony James Lobianco

Hoang Mong Nguyen

Howard E Chen

Matthew Sean Read

Patrick Lawrence Welch

Yifan Guo

Jr Peter Joseph Zampardi

Matthew Thomas Ozalas

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier, a semiconductor resistor, a tantalum nitride terminated through wafer via, and a conductive layer electrically connected to the power amplifier. The semiconductor resistor can include a resistive layer that includes a same material as a layer of a bipolar transistor of the power amplifier. A portion of the conductive layer can be in the tantalum nitride terminated through wafer via. The conductive layer and the power amplifier can be on opposing sides of a semiconductor substrate. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Power amplifier modules including semiconductor resistor and tantalum nitride terminated through wafer via

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier system that includes a control interface, a power amplifier, a passive component, and a bias circuit. The power amplifier and the passive component can be on a first die. The bias circuit can be on a second die. The control interface can operate as a serial interface or as a general purpose input/output interface. The power amplifier can be controllable based at least partly on an output signal from the control interface. The bias circuit can generate a bias signal based at least partly on an indication of the electrical property of the passive component. Other embodiments of the system are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Power amplifier systems with control interface and bias circuit

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier on a substrate and a semiconductor resistor on the substrate. The power amplifier includes a bipolar transistor having a collector, a base, and an emitter. The collector has a doping concentration of at least 3&#xd7;10cmat an interface with the base. The collector also has at least a first grading in which doping concentration increases away from the base. The semiconductor resistor includes a resistive layer that that includes the same material as a layer of the bipolar transistor. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Power amplifier modules including transistor with grading and semiconductor resistor

Directional couplers having a chain configuration and devices incorporating same. In some implementations, a chain coupler assembly can include a plurality of couplers each having a driver arm configured to route a respective RF signal and a coupled arm disposed physically proximate to the driver arm to detect a portion of power of the respective RF signal. Portions of the driver arm and the coupler arm can form an overlapping region. At least one of the driver arm and the coupled arm can have a non-straight arm shape, and the coupled arms of the plurality of couplers can be connected together in series.

Directional couplers and devices including same

The present disclosure relates to a system for biasing a power amplifier. The system can include a first die that includes a power amplifier circuit and a passive component having an electrical property that depends on one or more conditions of the first die. Further, the system can include a second die including a bias signal generating circuit that is configured to generate a bias signal based at least in part on measurement of the electrical property of the passive component of the first die.

Process-compensated HBT power amplifier bias circuits and methods

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier die, a first bonding pad on a conductive trace, and a second bonding pad on a conductive trace. The die includes an on-die passive device and a power amplifier. The first bonding pad is electrically connected to the on-die passive device by a first wire bond. The second bonding pad is in a conductive path between the first bonding pad and a radio frequency output of the power amplifier module. The second bonding pad includes a nickel layer having a thickness that is less than 0.5 um, a palladium layer over the nickel layer, and a gold layer over the palladium layer and bonded to a second wire bond that is electrically connected to an output of the power amplifier. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Power amplifier modules with bonding pads and related systems, devices, and methods

To reduce radio frequency losses during operation of a radio frequency integrated circuit module, the radio frequency integrated circuit module is fabricated such that at least one of an edge of the wirebond pad on the copper trace and a sidewall of the copper trace is free from high-resistivity plating material. The unplated portion provides a path for the radio frequency current to flow around the high-resistivity material.

Radio frequency integrated circuit module

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier configured to provide a radio frequency signal at an output, an output matching network coupled to the output of the power amplifier and configured to provide impedance matching at a fundamental frequency of the radio frequency signal, and a harmonic termination circuit coupled to the output of the power amplifier. The power amplifier is included on a power amplifier die. The output matching network can include a first circuit element electrically connected to an output of the power amplifier by way of a pad on a top surface of a conductive trace, in which the top surface has an unplated portion between the pad the power amplifier die. The harmonic termination circuit can include a second circuit element. The first and second circuit elements can have separate electrical connections to the power amplifier die. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Power amplifier modules with harmonic termination circuit and related systems, devices, and methods

Devices and methods related to directional couplers. In some implementations, a coupler can include a driver arm and a coupler arm implemented relative to the driver arm to detect power of an RF signal. Portions of the driver and coupler arms can form an overlapping region, with at least one of the driver and coupler arms having a non-straight arm shape. The overlapping region can include a non-zero lateral offset between the driver and coupler arms. In some implementations, a coupler can include a driver arm having input and output sides, and a coupler arm having input and output sides and implemented relative to the driver arm to detect power of an RF signal. The coupler can further include a phase-shifting feature implemented with respect to at least one of the driver and coupler arms to reduce phase difference of power ripples associated with the coupler.

Devices and methods related to directional couplers

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier; a wire bond pad electrically connected to the power amplifier, the wire bond pad including a nickel layer having a thickness that is less than 0.5 um, a palladium layer over the nickel layer, and a gold layer over the palladium layer; and a conductive trace having a top surface with a plated portion and an unplated portion surrounding the plated portion, the wire bond pad being disposed over the plated portion. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Power amplifier modules including wire bond pad and related systems, devices, and methods

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a first die including a power amplifier and a passive component, the power amplifier including a bipolar transistor having a collector, a base abutting the collector, and an emitter, the collector having a doping concentration of at least about 3&#xd7;10cmat an interface with the base, the collector also having a grading in which doping concentration increases away from the base; and a second die including a bias circuit configured to generate a bias signal based at least partly on an indication of an electrical property of the passive component of the first die and to provide the bias signal to the power amplifier. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Power amplifier modules including bipolar transistor with grading and related systems, devices, and methods

To reduce radio frequency (RF) losses during operation of a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) module, the RFIC module is fabricated such that at least one of an edge of the wirebond pad on the copper trace and a sidewall of the copper trace is free from high-resistivity plating material. The unplated portion provides a path for the RF current to flow around the high-resistivity material, which reduces the RF signal loss associated with the high resistivity plating material.

Methods to fabricate a radio frequency integrated circuit

To reduce the radio frequency (RF) losses associated with high RF loss plating, such as, for example, Nickel/Palladium/Gold (Ni/Pd/Au) plating, an on-die passive device, such as a capacitor, resistor, or inductor, associated with a radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) is placed in an RF upper signal path with respect to the RF signal output of the RFIC. By placing the on-die passive device in the RF upper signal path, the RF current does not directly pass through the high RF loss plating material of the passive device bonding pad.

Apparatus and methods for reducing impact of high RF loss plating

A power amplifier module includes a power amplifier including a GaAs bipolar transistor having a collector, a base abutting the collector, and an emitter, the collector having a doping concentration of at least about 3&#xd7;10cmat a junction with the base, the collector also having at least a first grading in which doping concentration increases away from the base; and an RF transmission line driven by the power amplifier, the RF transmission line including a conductive layer and finish plating on the conductive layer, the finish plating including a gold layer, a palladium layer proximate the gold layer, and a diffusion barrier layer proximate the palladium layer, the diffusion barrier layer including nickel and having a thickness that is less than about the skin depth of nickel at 0.9 GHz. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

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Thousand Oaks, CA, United States of America

Hongxiao Shao