MCM integration and power amplifier matching of non-reciprocal devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9467192-B2
Application number	US-201313927787-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2013
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

Devices are described herein that operate according to non-reciprocal behaviors. The devices may be manufactured and integrated into substrates and discrete components according to described techniques. The devices may be configured in ways to achieve increased device performance while decreasing the overall device size. The devices may be actively tuned to facilitate impedance matching with other circuit components such as power amplifiers. Tuning includes adjustment of magnetic fields and impedance values associated with the devices using techniques and components described herein and may be based upon changes in circuit or device parameters such as temperature, voltage, and current. The devices described herein may be configured as non-reciprocal devices that include ferrites with metallization patterns that may be in the form of microstrip circuitry or in stripline formats depending upon configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-reciprocal device, comprising:
a ferrite core;
a plurality of conductors magnetically operable with the ferrite core;
a first plurality of vias through the ferrite core, each of the plurality of conductors electrically connected to one of the first plurality of vias;
a substrate that includes a cavity, the cavity being coaxially aligned with the ferrite core; and
a second plurality of vias in the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of conductors traverses a respective subset of the second plurality of vias.

2. The non-reciprocal device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a reference voltage conductor magnetically operable with the ferrite core;
wherein the plurality of conductors is positioned along at least a first side of the ferrite core; and
wherein the reference voltage conductor is positioned along at least a second side of the ferrite core that is opposite the first side.

3. The non-reciprocal device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of conductors comprises a pattern loop.

4. The non-reciprocal device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a magnetic source configured to be magnetically coupled to the ferrite core.

5. The non-reciprocal device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a metal layer that includes a magnetically responsive metal;
wherein the magnetic source is positioned along a first side of the ferrite core; and
wherein the metal layer is positioned along a second side of the ferrite core that is opposite the first side.

6. The non-reciprocal device of claim 4 , further comprising:
a silicon-based layer between the plurality of conductors and the magnetic source, the silicon-based layer configured to adjust one or more operational characteristics of the non-reciprocal device.

7. A communication circuit, comprising:
a first non-reciprocal device that includes a first port, a second port, and a third port;
a first amplifier operably coupled to the first port, the first non-reciprocal device configured to have an impedance that is matched to an impedance of the first amplifier;
an antenna configured to be operably coupled to the second port; and
a first receiver operably coupled to the third port;
wherein the first non-reciprocal device includes:
a ferrite core;
a plurality of conductors magnetically operable with the ferrite core;
a first plurality of vias through the ferrite core, each of the plurality of conductors electrically connected to one of the first plurality of vias;
a substrate that includes a cavity, the cavity being coaxially aligned with the ferrite core; and
a second plurality of vias in the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of conductors traverses a respective subset of the second plurality of vias.

8. The communication circuit of claim 7 , wherein the first amplifier is configured to output a differential signal; and
wherein the first port is configured to receive the differential signal.

9. The communication circuit of claim 8 , wherein the first port includes a center tap.

10. The communication circuit of claim 7 , further comprising:
a first tuning block operably coupled between the first amplifier and the first port, the first tuning block configured to perform further impedance matching between the first amplifier and the first non-reciprocal device.

11. The communication circuit of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of:
a second tuning block operably coupled between the antenna and the second port, the second tuning block configured to perform further impedance matching between the antenna and the first non-reciprocal device, wherein the first non-reciprocal device is configured to have an impedance that is matched to an impedance of the antenna; or
a third tuning block operably coupled between the first receiver and the third port, the third tuning block configured to perform an impedance matching between the first receiver and the first non-reciprocal device.

12. The communication circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:
a second non-reciprocal device that includes a fourth port, a fifth port, and a sixth port;
a second amplifier operably coupled to the fourth port, the second non-reciprocal device configured to have an impedance that is matched to an impedance of the second amplifier;
a second receiver operably coupled to the sixth port; and
a switch operatively coupled to the antenna and configured to selectively provide a connection between the antenna and the second port or between the antenna and the fifth port;
wherein the first non-reciprocal device, the first amplifier, and the first receiver are associated with low band communications which correspond to a first range of frequencies;
wherein the second non-reciprocal device, the second amplifier, and the second receiver are associated with high band communications which correspond to a second range of frequencies; and
wherein each of the frequencies in the first range is less than each of the frequencies in the second range.

Assignees

• Broadcom Corp

Inventors

• Mccarthy Evan S

Classifications

• H01P1/387

  Strip line circulators · CPC title

• H04B1/40 Primary

  Circuits · CPC title

• H01P1/383 Primary

  Junction circulators, e.g. Y-circulators · CPC title

• H01P11/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing waveguides or resonators, lines, or other devices of the waveguide type · CPC title