Power amplifier modules with power amplifier and transmission line and related systems, devices, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016379944-A1
Application number	US-201615259995-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 8, 2016
Priority date	Jun 14, 2012
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal and an RF transmission line electrically coupled to an output of the power amplifier. The power amplifier includes a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a p-type field effect transistor, in which a semiconductor portion of the p-type field effect transistor corresponds to a channel includes the same type of semiconductor material as a collector layer of the heterojunction bipolar transistor. The RF transmission line includes a nickel layer with a thickness that is less than 0.5 um, a conductive layer under the nickel layer, a palladium layer over the nickel layer, and a gold layer over the palladium layer. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

First claim

1 .- 29 . (canceled)

30 . A power amplifier module comprising:
a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a p-type field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a collector layer of a semiconductor material, and the p-type field effect transistor including a semiconductor portion of the semiconductor material, the semiconductor portion corresponding to a channel of the p-type field effect transistor; and a radio frequency transmission line electrically coupled to an output of the power amplifier, the radio frequency transmission line including a nickel layer with a thickness that is less than 0.5 microns, a conductive layer under the nickel layer, a palladium layer over the nickel layer, and a gold layer over the palladium layer.

31 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the semiconductor material includes p-type gallium arsenide.

32 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor and the p-type field effect transistor are disposed on a single gallium arsenide substrate.

33 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a second collector layer of a second semiconductor material, the p-type field effect transistor includes a second semiconductor portion of the second semiconductor material, and the semiconductor material and the second semiconductor material have different conductivity types.

34 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a base and an etch stop disposed between the collector layer and the base.

35 . The power amplifier module of claim 34 wherein the etch stop includes indium gallium arsenide or indium gallium phosphide.

36 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 further comprising an n-type field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including an emitter stack, and the n-type field effect transistor including an other semiconductor portion that includes the same material as a layer of the emitter stack, the other semiconductor portion corresponding to a channel of the n-type field effect transistor.

37 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the thickness of the nickel layer is in a range from 0.04 microns to 0.35 microns.

38 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the power amplifier is implemented on a die and the gold layer is electrically connected to the output of the power amplifier by way of a wire bond extending from the die to the gold layer.

39 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the radio frequency signal has a frequency of at least about 1.9 GHz and the thickness of the nickel layer is less than a skin depth of the nickel layer at about 1.9 GHz.

40 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the thickness of the nickel layer is less than a skin depth of the nickel layer at about 5 GHz and the thickness of the nickel layer is at least 0.04 microns.

41 . The power amplifier module of claim 30 wherein the gold layer has a thickness in a range from about 0.05 microns to about 0.15 microns.

42 . A power amplifier module comprising:
a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor on a substrate and a p-type field effect transistor on the substrate, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a first collector layer of a p-type semiconductor material and a second collector layer of n-type semiconductor material, and the p-type field effect transistor including a semiconductor portion of the p-type semiconductor material, the semiconductor portion corresponding to a channel of the p-type field effect transistor; and a radio frequency transmission line electrically coupled to an output of the power amplifier, the radio frequency transmission line including a nickel layer with a thickness that is less than a skin depth of the nickel layer at 0.45 GHz, a conductive layer under the nickel layer, a palladium layer over the nickel layer, and a gold layer over the palladium layer.

43 . The power amplifier module of claim 42 wherein the p-type transistor includes a second semiconductor portion of the n-type semiconductor material.

44 . The power amplifier module of claim 42 wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a base and an etch stop disposed between the first collector layer and the base.

45 . The power amplifier module of claim 42 wherein the thickness of the nickel layer is in a range between about 0.04 microns and 0.35 microns.

46 . The power amplifier module of claim 45 wherein the gold layer is electrically connected to the output of the power amplifier by way of a wire bond.

47 . A power amplifier module comprising:
a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor on a substrate and a p-type field effect transistor on the substrate, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a collector layer of a semiconductor material, and the p-type field effect transistor including a semiconductor portion of the semiconductor material, the semiconductor portion corresponding to a channel of the p-type field effect transistor; and a radio frequency transmission line electrically coupled to an output of the power amplifier by way of a wire bond, the radio frequency transmission line including a nickel layer with a thickness that is in a range between about 0.04 microns and 0.35 microns, a conductive layer under the nickel layer, a palladium layer over the nickel layer, and a gold layer over the palladium layer and in contact with the wire bond.

48 . The power amplifier module of claim 47 wherein the radio frequency signal has a frequency of at least 1.9 GHz and the thickness of the nickel layer is less than a skin depth of the nickel layer at 1.9 G Hz.

49 . The power amplifier module of claim 47 wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a second collector layer of a second semiconductor material, and the p-type field effect transistor includes a second semiconductor portion of the second semiconductor material.

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Zampardi Jr Peter J
• Sun Hsiang-Chih
• Petty-Weeks Sandra Louise
• Zhang Guohao
• Modi Hardik Bhupendra

Classifications

• H10W42/276

  the arrangements being on an external surface of the package, e.g. on the outer surface of an encapsulation · CPC title

• H10W20/0242

  comprising etching via holes from the back sides of the chips, wafers or substrates · CPC title

• H10W20/0234

  comprising etching via holes that stop on pads or on electrodes · CPC title

• H10W72/552

  comprising metals or metalloids, e.g. silver · CPC title

• H10W74/00

  Encapsulations, e.g. protective coatings · CPC title