Radio-frequency and bias signal coupling in power amplifier devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017194919-A1
Application number	US-201715465273-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 21, 2017
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A power amplifier die includes a semiconductor substrate, a power amplifier implemented on the semiconductor substrate, a radio-frequency input configured to receive a radio-frequency input signal having a radio-frequency component and a DC bias component, a bias circuit implemented on the semiconductor substrate, the bias circuit coupled to the power amplifier, and a bias tee circuit implemented on the semiconductor substrate, the bias tee circuit configured to receive the radio-frequency input signal and pass at least a portion of the DC component to the bias circuit and at least a portion of the radio-frequency component to the power amplifier.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A power amplifier die comprising:
a semiconductor substrate; a power amplifier implemented on the semiconductor substrate; a radio-frequency input configured to receive a radio-frequency input signal having a radio-frequency component and a DC bias component; a bias circuit implemented on the semiconductor substrate, the bias circuit coupled to the power amplifier; and a bias tee circuit implemented on the semiconductor substrate, the bias tee circuit configured to receive the radio-frequency input signal and pass at least a portion of the DC component to the bias circuit and at least a portion of the radio-frequency component to the power amplifier.

2 . The power amplifier die of claim 1 wherein the bias tee circuit operates to at least partially decouple the radio-frequency component from the DC bias component.

3 . The power amplifier die of claim 1 wherein the bias tee circuit includes an inductor coupled to the bias circuit.

4 . The power amplifier die of claim 1 further comprising a voltage supply input configured to receive a supply voltage for amplifying an output of the power amplifier.

5 . The power amplifier die of claim 1 wherein the DC bias component of the radio-frequency input signal includes a bias current.

6 . The power amplifier die of claim 1 wherein the DC bias component of the radio-frequency input signal includes a bias voltage.

7 . The power amplifier die of claim 1 wherein the bias circuit includes current mirror circuitry.

8 . A power amplifier module comprising:
a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components; a power amplifier formed on a die that is mounted on the packaging substrate; a radio-frequency input configured to receive a radio-frequency input signal having a radio-frequency component and a DC bias component; a bias circuit coupled to the power amplifier; and a bias tee circuit formed on the die, the bias tee circuit configured to receive the radio-frequency input signal and pass at least a portion of the DC component to the bias circuit and at least a portion of the radio-frequency component to the power amplifier.

9 . The power amplifier module of claim 8 wherein the bias tee circuit operates to at least partially decouple the radio-frequency component from the DC bias component.

10 . The power amplifier module of claim 8 wherein the bias tee circuit includes a capacitor and a resistor connected in parallel.

11 . The power amplifier module of claim 8 wherein the DC bias component of the radio-frequency input signal includes a bias current.

12 . The power amplifier module of claim 8 wherein the bias circuit includes a current mirror.

13 . A wireless device comprising:
a transceiver configured to process radio-frequency signals; a power amplifier subsystem communicatively coupled to the transceiver, the power amplifier subsystem including a power amplifier configured to generate an amplified radio-frequency signal; a radio-frequency node configured to receive a radio-frequency signal having a radio-frequency component and a DC bias component; a bias circuit coupled to the power amplifier; a bias tee circuit configured to receive the radio-frequency signal and pass at least a portion of the DC component to the bias circuit and at least a portion of the radio-frequency component to the power amplifier; a switch connected to the power amplifier subsystem and configured to selectively route the amplified radio-frequency signal to a pole of the switch; and an antenna in communication with the pole of the switch and configured to facilitate transmission of the amplified radio-frequency signal.

14 . The wireless device of claim 13 wherein the power amplifier subsystem further includes a bias signal generator configured to transmit a bias signal on a bias channel, and a radio-frequency transmission channel configured to transmit the radio-frequency signal.

15 . The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the power amplifier subsystem further includes a second bias tee circuit coupled to the bias channel and the radio-frequency transmission channel, the second bias tee circuit configured to couple the bias signal with a radio-frequency input signal to form the radio-frequency signal at least in part.

16 . The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the bias signal generator is a current generator.

17 . The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the bias signal generator is a voltage generator.

18 . The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the power amplifier subsystem further includes an input switching module.

19 . The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the power amplifier is implemented on a GaAs substrate and the bias signal generator is implemented on a silicon-on-insulator die.

20 . The wireless device of claim 14 wherein the power amplifier does not receive a bias signal separately from the radio-frequency node.

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Lehtola Philip John

Classifications

• H03F2200/555

  A voltage generating circuit being realised for biasing different circuit elements · CPC title

• H03F3/19

  with semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H03F3/72

  Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal · CPC title

• H03F2203/7209

  the gated amplifier being switched from a first band to a second band · CPC title

• H03F3/211 Primary

  using a combination of several amplifiers (H03F3/60 takes precedence) · CPC title