Texas Instruments Corporation

Triquint Semiconductor Corporation

Martin E Jones

Charles Forrest Campbell

Anthony M Balistreri

Deep C Dumka

Hua-Quen Tserng

Embodiments include but are not limited to apparatuses and systems including a field-effect transistor switch. A field-effect transistor switch may include a first field plate coupled with a gate electrode, the first field plate disposed substantially equidistant from a source electrode and a drain electrode. The field-effect transistor switch may also include a second field plate proximately disposed to the first field plate and disposed substantially equidistant from the source electrode and the drain electrode. The first and second field plates may be configured to reduce an electric field between the source electrode and the gate electrode and between the drain electrode and the gate electrode.

Field effect transistor having a plurality of field plates

Generally, and in one form of the invention, a method is disclosed for terminating third harmonic frequency of a transistor amplifier comprising: determining the magnitude of the susceptance at the third harmonic frequency of initial circuitry, 41, 43, and 45, attached to the output of a transistor 39, wherein the initial circuitry has no third harmonic termination; determining whether the susceptance of the circuitry presented to the output of the transistor 39 is capacitive or inductive at the third harmonic frequency; and adding a compensating parallel susceptance 60 to the output of the transistor 39 that is substantially equal in magnitude to the susceptance of the circuitry attached to the output of the transistor 39, but capacitive if the susceptance of the circuitry presented to the output of the transistor 39 is inductive, or inductive if the susceptance presented to the output of the transistor 39 is capacitive, whereby the imaginary part of the susceptance of the total circuitry attached to the output of the transistor 39 is made small at the third harmonic frequency.

Method for terminating harmonics of transistors

Generally, and in one form of the invention, a bias circuit for a transistor amplifier comprising a nonlinear element which limits current flow in a transistor, whereby the output-signal amplitude of the transistor is limited and the transistor is protected from exceeding a maximum current level, is disclosed. In another form of the invention, a bias circuit for a transistor amplifier comprising a nonlinear element 44 which limits current flow through a base terminal of a bipolar transistor 48, whereby the output-signal amplitude of the bipolar transistor 48 is limited and current flow through a collector or an emitter terminal of the transistor 48 is prevented from exceeding a maximum safe level, is disclosed. In still another form of the invention, an amplifier comprising an amplifying transistor 48 and a bias circuit, wherein the bias circuit comprises a nonlinear element 44 which limits current flow through a base terminal of a bipolar transistor 48, whereby the output-signal amplitude of the amplifier is limited and current flow through a collector or an emitter terminal of the amplifying transistor 48 is prevented from exceeding a maximum safe level, is disclosed. In yet another form of the invention, an oscillator circuit comprising an oscillator 92 and an amplifier 94, wherein the amplifier comprises an amplifying transistor and a bias circuit, and wherein the bias circuit comprises a nonlinear element which limits current flow through a base terminal of a bipolar transistor, whereby the output-signal amplitude of the amplifier is substantially constant despite a signal of varying amplitude from the oscillator, is disclosed.

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Plano, TX, United States of America

Martin E Jones