Nxp USA, Inc.

Motorola Corporation

Freescale Semiconductor,inc.

Nxp B.v.

Joseph Gerard Schultz

Yu-Ting David Wu

Enver Krvavac

Nick Yang

Jeffrey Kevin Jones

Kevin Kim

Vikas Shilimkar

Olivier Lembeye

Cedric Cassan

Elie A Maalouf

Damon G Holmes

Hussain Hasanali Ladhani

Mario M Bokatius

Richard S Bickham

Shishir Ramasare Shukla

Dale Robert Anderson

Terence Edward Sumner

Arun Sobti

David Cobb Burdeaux

Kenneth J Zdunek

Robert A Pryor

Robert W Furtaw

Mark Ian Van Horn

Ricardo Uscola

John R Melton

James Krehbiel

Ngai-Ming Lau

Michelle Nicole Corn

Kimberly Foxx

Thomas William Raimbault

A reference transistor forms part of a measurement circuit coupled to bias control circuitry that is configured to operate a primary transistor at a desired operating point by providing appropriate DC bias voltages to the control terminal of the primary transistor and one or more current terminals of the primary transistor based upon an output of the measurement circuit generated using the reference transistor. A dissipative circuit element is electrically coupled to the reference transistor and is configured to cause the reference transistor to exhibit negative gain at a drain terminal (or other output node) of the reference transistor with respect to alternating-current (AC) electrical signals which may be unintentionally coupled to the gate (or other input node) of the reference transistor.

Reference transistor circuits with noise suppression

A power amplifier device includes a transistor die with an elongated bondpad coupled to a terminal of an integrated transistor. The device also includes a substrate formed from a stack of alternating dielectric and patterned conductive layers. An elongated die contact is exposed at a first substrate surface and is attached to the elongated bondpad to provide a uniform connection between the die contact and the elongated bondpad. A vertical interconnect structure is connected to the die contact and extends towards the second substrate surface. A circuit includes passive component(s) coupled to the second substrate surface and to the vertical interconnect structure. An encapsulation material layer covers the passive component(s) and the second substrate surface. A plurality of device interconnects are coupled to the substrate, electrically coupled to the power transistor die, and exposed at a contact surface of the power amplifier device.

Power amplifier device having vertical die interconnect structure

A power amplifier device includes a substrate, a power transistor die, and one or more surface mount components. The substrate has substrate die contacts exposed at a first substrate surface, and additional substrate contacts exposed at a second substrate surface. The power transistor die includes an integrated transistor. The transistor includes a control terminal and a first current conducting terminal coupled, respectively, to first and second die contacts at the first die surface, and a second current conducting terminal coupled to a third die contact at a second die surface. The surface-mount components are connected to the additional substrate components, and the surface-mount components are electrically coupled through the substrate to the first and second die contacts. The power amplifier device also includes an encapsulation material layer covering the surface-mount components and the second substrate surface.

Packaged power amplifier device

A power amplifier device includes a substrate formed from a stack of alternating dielectric and patterned conductive layers and conductive vias electrically connecting the patterned conductive layers. The substrate has a set of substrate die contacts exposed at a first substrate surface, and an air cavity extending into the substrate through a portion of the first substrate surface that is located between the set of substrate die contacts. A power transistor die has first and second die contacts at a first die surface, which are connected to the substrate die contacts. The power transistor die also includes an integrated transistor in an active area of the die. The integrated transistor includes a control terminal coupled to the first die contact, and a first current conducting terminal coupled to the second die contact. The active area is aligned with the first air cavity.

Packaged power amplifier device with air cavity over die

An amplifier includes a semiconductor die and a substrate that is distinct from the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die includes a first RF signal input terminal, a first RF signal output terminal, and a transistor. The transistor has a control terminal electrically coupled to the first RF signal input terminal, and a current-carrying terminal electrically coupled to the first RF signal output terminal. The substrate includes a second RF signal input terminal, a second RF signal output terminal, circuitry coupled between the second RF signal input terminal and the second RF signal output terminal, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. The amplifier also includes a connection electrically coupled between the ESD protection circuit and the control terminal of the transistor. The substrate may be another semiconductor die (e.g., with a driver transistor and/or impedance matching circuitry) or an integrated passive device.

Power amplifier with a power transistor and an electrostatic discharge protection circuit on separate substrates

A Doherty amplifier includes a peaking amplifier, a carrier amplifier, and a combining node electrically connected to the carrier amplifier and the peaking amplifier. The Doherty amplifier includes a harmonic control circuit coupled to the combining node. The harmonic control circuit includes an inductor and a capacitor and the inductor and capacitor are connected in series between the first current conducting terminal and a ground reference node. An inductance value of the inductor of the harmonic control circuit and a capacitance value of the capacitor of the harmonic control circuit are selected to terminate second order harmonic components of a fundamental frequency of a signal generated by the carrier amplifier.

Doherty amplifiers and amplifier modules with shunt inductor and capacitor circuit for improved carrier harmonic loading

An amplifier includes a semiconductor die and a substrate that is distinct from the semiconductor die. The semiconductor die includes a III-V semiconductor substrate, a first RF signal input terminal, a first RF signal output terminal, and a transistor (e.g., a GaN FET). The transistor has a control terminal electrically coupled to the first RF signal input terminal, and a current-carrying terminal electrically coupled to the first RF signal output terminal. The substrate includes a second RF signal input terminal, a second RF signal output terminal, circuitry coupled between the second RF signal input terminal and the second RF signal output terminal, and an electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit. The amplifier also includes a connection electrically coupled between the ESD protection circuit and the control terminal of the transistor. The substrate may be another semiconductor die (e.g., with a driver transistor and/or impedance matching circuitry) or an integrated passive device.

Integrated circuits, such as power amplifier integrated circuits, are disclosed containing compact-footprint, vertically-integrated capacitor-avalanche diode (AD) structures. In embodiments, the integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, a metal layer system, and a vertically-integrated capacitor-AD structure. The metal layer system includes, in turn, a body of dielectric material in which a plurality of patterned metal layers are located. The vertically-integrated capacitor-AD structure includes a first AD formed, at least in part, by patterned portions of the first patterned metal layer. A first metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor is also formed in the metal layer system and at least partially overlaps with the first AD, as taken along a vertical axis orthogonal to the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate. In certain instances, at least a majority, if not the entirety of the first AD vertically overlaps with the first MIM capacitor, by surface area, as taken along the vertical axis.

Integrated circuits containing vertically-integrated capacitor-avalanche diode structures

Various embodiments relate to an integrated circuit including a transistor device having input and output terminals, and an inductor-capacitor (LC) circuit coupled to one of the terminals of the transistor device. The LC circuit includes a capacitor having a top plate and a bottom plate, a inductor having a coil structure, and a connector configured to couple the inductor and an interior portion the top plate of the capacitor. The inductor at least partially overlaps the capacitor.

Compact RFIC with stacked inductor and capacitor

A multiple-stage amplifier includes a driver stage die and a final stage die. The driver stage die includes a first type of semiconductor substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate), a first transistor, and an integrated portion of an interstage impedance matching circuit. A control terminal of the first transistor is electrically coupled to an RF signal input terminal of the driver stage die, and the integrated portion of the interstage impedance matching circuit is electrically coupled between a current-carrying terminal of the first transistor and an RF signal output terminal of the driver stage die. The second die includes a III-V semiconductor substrate (e.g., a GaN substrate) and a second transistor. A connection, which is a non-integrated portion of the interstage impedance matching circuit, is electrically coupled between the RF signal output terminal of the driver stage die and an RF signal input terminal of the final stage die.

Multiple-stage power amplifiers implemented with multiple semiconductor technologies

An embodiment of a Doherty amplifier includes a module substrate, first and second surface-mount devices coupled to a top surface of the module substrate, and an impedance inverter line assembly. The first and second surface-mount devices include first and second amplifier dies, respectively. The impedance inverter line assembly is electrically connected between outputs of the first and second amplifier dies. The impedance inverter line assembly includes an impedance inverter line coupled to the module substrate, a first lead of the first surface-mount device coupled between the first amplifier die output and a proximal end of the impedance inverter line, and a second lead of the second surface-mount device coupled between the second amplifier die output and a distal end of the impedance inverter line. According to a further embodiment, the impedance inverter line assembly has a 90 degree electrical length at a fundamental operational frequency of the Doherty amplifier.

Doherty amplifier with surface-mount packaged carrier and peaking amplifiers

Embodiments of a multiple-path amplifier (e.g., a Doherty amplifier) and a module housing the amplifier include a first amplifier (or first power transistor die) with a first output terminal, a second amplifier (or second power transistor die) with a second output terminal, and an impedance inverter line assembly electrically connected between the first and second output terminals. The impedance inverter line assembly includes a first transmission line and a surface mount component connected in series between the first and second output terminals. In various embodiments, the surface mount component is selected from a fixed-value capacitor, a fixed-value inductor, a tunable capacitor, a tunable inductor, and a tunable passive component network.

Multiple-path amplifier with series component along inverter between amplifier outputs

Systems for providing isolation of a bias signal relative to a radio frequency (RF) signal in an integrated circuit, and related circuits, modules, and methods, are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, a system includes an inductor, a bypass capacitor, and a transmission line segment, which includes first and second ends and extends between the first and second ends. The first end is at least indirectly coupled to the bypass capacitor, the second end is at least indirectly coupled to a first additional end of the inductor, and a second additional end of the inductor is configured to be coupled at least indirectly to a device through which the RF signal is being communicated. The transmission line segment is configured to impart a non-negligible phase shift to a signal communicated between the first and second ends, or is configured to have a non-negligible effective inductance.

Growing community of inventors

Wheaton, IL, United States of America

Joseph Gerard Schultz