Power amplifier (PA) self-heating tracking for with self-heating time constant estimation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12587144-B2
Application number	US-202318144803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2023
Priority date	May 8, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

Embodiments of self-heating tracking circuits for a power amplifier (PA) are disclosed. In an embodiment, a self-heating tracking circuit for a PA includes a PA replica circuit in proximity to the PA and an estimation unit configured to estimate a self-heating time constant of the PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A self-heating tracking circuit for a power amplifier (PA), the self-heating tracking circuit comprising:
a PA replica circuit in proximity to the PA; and an estimation unit configured to estimate a self-heating time constant of the PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit.

2 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , wherein the PA is a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) device.

3 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , wherein the PA is a silicon on insulator (SOI) device.

4 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , wherein the PA replica circuit is located within one micrometer (μm) of the PA such that a temperature of the PA replica circuit tracks with a temperature of the PA.

5 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , wherein the PA replica circuit comprises a first transistor in proximity to a second transistor of the PA.

6 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 5 , wherein the first transistor is located within one hundred nanometers (nm) of the second transistor of the PA such that a temperature of the PA replica circuit tracks with a temperature of the PA.

7 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 5 , wherein the PA replica circuit further comprises a third transistor connected to the first transistor and configured to be turned on or off.

8 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , wherein the estimation unit is further configured to estimate the self-heating time constant of the PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit using a first order single-pole model.

9 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , wherein the estimation unit is further configured to estimate the self-heating time constant of the PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit using a rising step response model.

10 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , wherein the estimation unit is further configured to estimate the self-heating time constant of the PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit using a falling step response model.

11 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 1 , further comprising a bias circuit connected between the PA and the PA replica circuit.

12 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 11 , wherein the bias circuit comprises:
a first current source connected to a first voltage; a first transistor connected to the first current source and to the first voltage; a second transistor connected to the first current source; and a third transistor connected to the second transistor and to a reference voltage.

13 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 12 , wherein the bias circuit further comprises:
a second current source connected to the first transistor and to the reference voltage; and a transformer connected to the third transistor and to the PA.

14 . A self-heating tracking circuit for a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) power amplifier (PA), the self-heating tracking circuit comprising:
a PA replica circuit in proximity to the FinFET PA, wherein a temperature of the PA replica circuit tracks with a temperature of the FinFET PA; and an estimation unit configured to estimate a self-heating time constant of the FinFET PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit.

15 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 14 , wherein the PA replica circuit is located within one hundred nanometers (nm) of the FinFET PA.

16 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 14 , wherein the PA replica circuit comprises:
a first transistor in proximity to a second transistor of the FinFET PA; and a third transistor connected to the first transistor and configured to be turned on or off.

17 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 14 , wherein the estimation unit is further configured to estimate the self-heating time constant of the FinFET PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit using a first order single-pole model.

18 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 14 , further comprising a bias circuit connected between the FinFET PA and the PA replica circuit.

19 . A self-heating tracking circuit for a power amplifier (PA), the self-heating tracking circuit comprising:
a PA replica circuit located within one micrometer (μm) of the PA such that a temperature of the PA replica circuit tracks with a temperature of the PA, wherein the PA is a fin field-effect transistor (FinFET) device or a silicon on insulator (SOI) device; and an estimation unit configured to estimate a self-heating time constant of the PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit.

20 . The self-heating tracking circuit of claim 19 , wherein the estimation unit is further configured to estimate the self-heating time constant of the PA in response to turning on the PA replica circuit and turning off the PA replica circuit using a first order single-pole model.

Assignees

• Nxp Usa Inc

Inventors

• Tam Sai-Wang
• Dinh Viet Thanh
• Xie Juan
• Wong Alden C
• Liu Tian
• Kondapalli Sri Harsha
• Wu Sa-Wey
• Carnu Ovidiu

Classifications

• H03F3/21

  with semiconductor devices only {(H03F3/245 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H03F2200/447

  the amplifier being protected to temperature influence · CPC title

• H03F2200/451

  the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier · CPC title

• H03F1/301 Primary

  in MOSFET amplifiers (H03F1/303, H03F1/305, H03F1/308 take precedence) · CPC title