Integrated Device Technology, Inc.

Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation

Psemi Corporation

Shawn Bawell

Tero Tapio Ranta

Robert W Greene

Robert Mark Englekirk

Christopher Nelles Brindle

Jean-Marc Roger Mourant

Feng-Jung Huang

Roberto Aparicio Joo

Olivier Hubert

Peter Bacon

Kathiravan Krishnamurthi

Robert J Broughton

Victor Korol

Zhiyang Liu

Mohsin Asif

Devices and methods for improving voltage handling and/or bi-directionality of stacks of elements when connected between terminals are described. Such devices and method include use of symmetrical compensation capacitances, symmetrical series capacitors, or symmetrical sizing of the elements of the stack.

Devices and methods for improving voltage handling and/or bi-directionality of stacks of elements when connected between terminals

Hybrid-coding, multi-cell architecture and operating techniques for step devices provide advantages over binary-coded and thermometer-coded step devices by minimizing or avoiding glitches common in the transient response of binary-coded step devices and by minimizing or avoiding significant increases or degradation in one or more of area, package dimensions, pin counts, power consumption, insertion loss and parasitic capacitance common to thermometer-coded step devices having equivalent range and resolution.

Multi-bit cell attenuator

An apparatus includes a first circuit and a second circuit. The first circuit may be configured to generate (i) a variable current and (ii) a constant current. The variable current may be proportional to a temperature of the first circuit. The second circuit may be configured to present a resistance through a plurality of first transistors between two ports in response to both the variable current and the constant current. The resistance may have a predefined dependence on the temperature.

Controlled transistor on-resistance with predefined temperature dependence

An apparatus includes one or more field effect transistors configured as a switch. Each of the one or more field effect transistors comprises one or more source diffusions, one or more drain diffusions, and one or more gate fingers. Each of the one or more gate fingers is disposed between a source diffusion and a drain diffusion. A first electrical connection to the one or more source diffusions is made using one or more source electrodes that extend from a first end for a first length along a long axis of the source diffusions. A second electrical connection to the one or more drain diffusions is made using one or more drain electrodes that extend from a second end for a second length along a long axis of the drain diffusions. The first length of the one or more source electrodes and the second length of the one or more drain electrodes are generally selected to avoid juxtaposition of the one or more source electrodes and the one or more drain electrodes.

Method of boosting RON*COFF performance

An apparatus includes a bypass circuit a resistor circuit and multiple staggered circuits. The bypass circuit may have a predetermined number of a plurality of transistors connected in series between an input node and an output node. The resistor circuit may have a given number of resistors connected in series between the input node and the output node. Adjoining pairs of the resistors may be connected at given nodes. The staggered circuits may be connected between the given nodes and either the input node or the output node. Each staggered circuit may have a respective number of the transistors connected in series. The bypass circuit, the resistor circuit and the staggered circuits may form part of a bridge attenuator.

Reduced transistor bridge attenuator

An apparatus comprises an amplifier having a predefined linear range and a shunt load. The shunt load may be connected to an output, an input, or between gain stages of the amplifier. An impedance of the shunt load dynamically varies in response to a level of a signal presented at a node formed by interconnection of the shunt load and the amplifier, extending linearity of the amplifier beyond the predefined range.

RF amplifier linearity enhancement with dynamically adjusted variable load

Sequenced switching mitigates impedance variations and signal reflections during switching events by stepping a switch incrementally through a sequence of different states from a start state to at least one intermediate state to an end state. Various architectures, sequencing and step control techniques may permit any degree of mitigation, including to the point of essentially eliminating impedance glitches. Sequential reconfiguration of the structure and/or parameters of one or more switch branches may permit simplification of related programming and circuitry while increasing the lifespan of components spared from unmitigated current and voltage spikes. Each switch branch being transitioned during a switch event may sequence differently than other branches based on the start state, end state and configuration of each branch.

Reduced VSWR switching

A constant impedance switch dynamically manages switch impedance to eliminate or substantially reduce impedance glitches during switching events by stepping variable impedances through sequences of impedance values. As a result, VSWR may be reduced to or near 1:1, allowing programming and circuitry to be simplified. Switch impedance may be maintained for single and multi-throw switches having variable impedances of any order. Each variable impedance may comprise one or more configurable cells, subcells and elements controlled by thermometer, binary, hybrid or other coding technique.

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Amherst, NH, United States of America

Shawn Bawell