Broadband circuit for an active device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9531334-B1
Application number	US-201213529415-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2012
Priority date	Jun 21, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A circuit includes a de-Qing network coupled in parallel between a first and a second series-coupled reactive network. The de-Qing network is sized to lower the quality factor of the second reactive network. The first reactive network is a low valued inductor, which is sized for modifying high frequency signals. The second reactive network is a high valued inductor, which is sized for modifying low frequency signals. The de-Qing network can be a resistor or combination of resistors, inductors, and capacitors.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit for maximizing linear range and frequency coverage for an active device, the circuit comprising:
the active device comprising a pair of RF input ports for receiving an RF input, a pair of RF output ports for providing an RF output that is a linear function of the RF input at the RF input ports, and a first DC bias control port and a second DC bias control port for providing a DC bias current to the active device;
a first reactive network having a first impedance coupled to the first DC bias control port of the active device and a second impedance coupled to the second DC bias control port of the active device, the first reactive network for substantially blocking high frequency radio frequency (RF) signals;
a second reactive network having a first impedance coupled to the first impedance of the first reactive network and a second impedance coupled to the second impedance of the first reactive network, the second reactive network for substantially blocking low frequency RF signals, wherein the first reactive network and the second reactive network are configured independent of each other;
a de-Qing network selected from the group consisting of a resistive de-Qing network and an inductive de-Qing network, the de-Qing network coupled in parallel between the first reactive network and the second reactive network between the first impedance and the second impedance of the first reactive network, the de-Qing network being sized to lower a quality factor of the first and the second reactive networks and including a floating virtual ground between the first impedance and the second impedance of the first reactive network; and
a DC source connected to the second reactive network to supply the active device with a DC bias current.

2. The circuit of claim 1 , wherein the de-Qing network lowers a maximum impedance of the second reactive network at the second reactive network's resonant frequency.

3. The circuit of claim 2 , wherein the first reactive network and the second reactive network are series-coupled.

4. The circuit of claim 3 , wherein the de-Qing network is a resistor.

5. The circuit of claim 4 , wherein the first reactive network is a low valued inductor sized for blocking high frequency signals.

6. The circuit of claim 5 , wherein the second reactive network is a high valued inductor.

7. The circuit of claim 1 , and further comprising a die including the active device and the first reactive network.

8. The circuit of claim 7 , wherein the second reactive network is positioned apart from the die.

9. The circuit of claim 8 , wherein the de-Qing network is a resistor.

10. The circuit of claim 9 , wherein the de-Qing network is positioned apart from the die.

11. The circuit of claim 9 , wherein the de-Qing network is on the die.

12. The circuit of claim 9 , wherein the active device is a mixer.

13. The circuit of claim 9 , wherein the active device is an amplifier.

14. An RF circuit comprising:
an active device having a pair of RF input ports for receiving an RF input, a pair of RF output ports for providing an RF output that is a linear function of the RF input at the RF input ports, a first DC bias control port and a second DC bias control port for providing a DC bias current to the active device;
a first reactive network having a first impedance coupled to the first DC bias control port of the active device and a second impedance coupled to the second DC bias control port of the active device, the first reactive network for substantially blocking high frequency radio frequency (RF) signals;
a second reactive network having a first impedance coupled to the first impedance of the first reactive network and a second impedance coupled to the second impedance of the first reactive network, the second reactive network for substantially blocking low frequency RF signals, wherein the first reactive network and the second reactive network are configured independent of each other, and wherein the second impedance is larger than the first impedance;
a non-capacitive de-Qing network coupled in parallel between the first reactive network and the second reactive network between the first impedance and the second impedance of the first reactive network, the non-capacitive de-Qing network being sized to lower a maximum impedance of the second reactive network at the second reactive network's resonant frequency and including a floating virtual ground between the first impedance and the second impedance of the first reactive network; and
a DC source connected to the second reactive network to supply the active device with a DC bias current.

15. The RF circuit of claim 14 , wherein the first reactive network wherein the first reactive network is a low valued inductor sized for modifying high frequency signals and is series-coupled to the second reactive network, which is a high valued inductor sized for modifying low frequency signals.

16. The RF circuit of claim 15 , wherein the non-capacitive de-Qing network is a resistor.

17. The RF circuit of claim 16 , and further comprising a die including the active device and the first reactive network.

18. The RF circuit of claim 17 , wherein the second reactive network is positioned apart from the die.

19. A method for modifying a radio frequency (RF) signal comprising:
receiving the RF signal at an input port of an active device;
substantially blocking high RF signals with a first reactive network on a die that has a first impedance that is coupled to a first DC bias control port of the active device and a second impedance that is coupled to a second DC bias control port of the active device;
substantially blocking low RF signals with a second reactive network that is positioned apart from the die and has a first impedance that is series-coupled to the first impedance of the first reactive network and a second impedance that is series-coupled to the second impedance of the first reactive network, wherein the first reactive network and the second reactive network are configured independent of each other;
lowering a maximum impedance of the second reactive network at the second reactive network's resonant frequency by decreasing a parasitic capacitance that arises in the second reactive network with a non-capacitive de-Qing network that includes a virtual ground that is positioned in parallel between the first reactive network and the second reactive network between the first impedance and the second impedance of the first reactive network;
providing a DC bias current from a DC source connected to the second reactive network; and
providing an RF output port for providing an RF signal that is a linear function of the RF signal at the input port.

20. The method of claim 19 , and further comprising positioning the active device on the die.

Assignees

• Wyse Russell D
• Rockwell Collins Inc

Inventors

• Wyse Russell D

Classifications

• H10W44/601

  Capacitive arrangements (H10W44/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10W44/501

  Inductive arrangements (H10W44/20 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H10W44/20

  at high-frequency [HF] or radio frequency [RF] · CPC title

• H03F1/42

  Modifications of amplifiers to extend the bandwidth · CPC title

• H03F2203/45652

  the LC comprising one or more further dif amp stages, either identical to the dif amp or not, in cascade · CPC title