Broadband power amplifier systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9537452-B2
Application number	US-201514664521-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2015
Priority date	Apr 29, 2014
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, devices, and methodologies to reduce harmonics in a radio frequency output signal. A power amplifier system comprises a power amplifier and a tunable output matching network electrically connected between the output of the power amplifier and an output of the tunable output matching network. The tunable output matching network reduces second-order harmonics in an amplified radio frequency signal when the power amplifier operates in a low frequency mode. The tunable output matching network includes traps such as a series inductor and a first capacitor in series with a first switch, a second capacitor in series with a second switch, and a third capacitor in series with a third switch, where the traps are tuned to selected harmonic frequencies when the power amplifier operates in the low frequency band of the operating band of frequencies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power amplifier comprising:
an amplifier circuit configured to receive a radio frequency signal and provide an amplified radio frequency signal over a frequency band of operation; and
a tunable output matching network electrically connected to the amplifier circuit to receive the amplified radio frequency signal, the tunable output matching network including first and second passive components configured in series with each other and with a first switch, a third passive component configured in series with a second switch, and a fourth passive component configured in series with a third switch, the first, second, and third switches configured to operate to provide second-order harmonic rejection for the amplified radio frequency signal when the amplifier circuit operates in a low frequency band, the first, second, third, and fourth passive components selected from the group consisting of inductors and capacitors.

2. The power amplifier of claim 1 wherein the frequency band of operation includes the low frequency band of between approximately 470 MHz to approximately 610 MHz and a high frequency band of between approximately 610 MHz to approximately 930 MHz.

3. The power amplifier of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier includes a broadband power amplifier.

4. The power amplifier of claim 1 further comprising an interstage matching circuit.

5. The power amplifier of claim 4 further comprising an inductor, wherein an output of the interstage matching circuit couples to ground through the inductor.

6. The power amplifier of claim 1 wherein values of the inductors and capacitors are selected to trap second-order harmonics of the amplified radio frequency signal.

7. The power amplifier of claim 1 further comprising a third-order inductance-matching circuit that includes the fourth passive component configured in series with the third switch.

8. The power amplifier of claim 1 wherein the amplifier circuit, and the first, second, third, and the fourth passive components are implemented on a silicon germanium die, and the first, second, and third switches are implemented on a silicon on insulator die.

9. The power amplifier of claim 1 wherein the first and second passive components and the first switch form a switched harmonic trap that is configured to create a short circuit to ground for specific harmonic frequencies of the amplified radio frequency signal.

10. The power amplifier of claim 9 wherein signal energy from the specific harmonic frequencies is reflected back to the amplifier circuit for partial recycling.

11. A wireless mobile device comprising the power amplifier of claim 1 .

12. A power amplifier module comprising:
an input pin configured to receive a radio frequency input signal;
an output pin configured to provide an amplified radio frequency signal;
a power amplifier die including an amplifier circuit, an input pad electrically connected to the input pin, and an output pad electrically connected to the output pin, the power amplifier die further including a series inductor and a first capacitor configured in series with a first switch, a second capacitor configured in series with a second switch, and a third capacitor configured in series with a third switch;
a switch die including the first, second, and third switches; and
a plurality of interconnections configured to electrically connect the series inductor and the first capacitor with the first switch to provide a first harmonic trap, electrically connect the second capacitor to the second switch to provide a second harmonic trap, and to electrically connect the third capacitor to the third switch to provide a third harmonic trap, the first, second, and third switches configured to be in an ON position when the amplifier circuit operates in a low frequency band to reduce second-order harmonics in the amplified radio frequency signal.

13. The power amplifier module of claim 12 wherein values of the series inductor, the first capacitor, the second capacitor and the third capacitor are selected to reduce the second-order harmonic frequencies when operating in a low frequency mode.

14. The power amplifier module of claim 13 wherein a frequency range of operation is between approximately 470 MHz to approximately 930 MHz and includes the low frequency band of between approximately 470 MHz to approximately 610 MHz, and a high frequency band of between approximately 610 MHz to approximately 930 MHz.

15. The power amplifier module of claim 12 wherein the power amplifier die includes a silicon germanium die, and the switch die includes a silicon on insulator die.

16. A wireless mobile device comprising the power amplifier module of claim 12 .

17. A method to reduce harmonics in a radio frequency output signal, the method comprising:
receiving along a radio frequency path at an input to a power amplifier circuit a radio frequency signal having a fundamental frequency in a band of operating frequencies;
amplifying the radio frequency signal to provide an amplified radio frequency signal;
matching an impedance of the power amplifier circuit to an impedance of a next element in the radio frequency path;
filtering the amplified radio frequency signal with a harmonic rejection filter to reduce second-order harmonic frequencies when the power amplifier is operating in a low frequency band, the harmonic rejection filter including first and second passive components configured in series with each other and with a first switch to form a switched harmonic trap and a third passive component configured in series with a second switch to form a first switched capacitor element; and
enhancing the bandwidth of the harmonic rejection filter with a third-order inductance-matching circuit that includes a fourth passive component configured in series with a third switch to form a second switched capacitor element, the first, second, third, and fourth passive components selected from the group consisting of inductors and capacitors.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the band of operating frequencies is between approximately 470 MHz to approximately 930 MHz and the low frequency band is between approximately 470 MHz to approximately 610 MHz.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the power amplifier circuit, and the first, second, third, and fourth passive components are implemented on a first semiconductor die, and wherein the first, second, and third switches are implemented on a second semiconductor die.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the first semiconductor die is a silicon germanium die, and the second semiconductor die is a silicon on insulator die.

Assignees

• Skyworks Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Samelis Apostolos

Classifications

• H03F1/565 Primary

  using inductive elements · CPC title

• H03F3/245 Primary

  with semiconductor devices only · CPC title

• H03F2200/411

  the output amplifying stage of an amplifier comprising two power stages · CPC title

• H03F3/195

  in integrated circuits · CPC title

• H03F1/486

  with IC amplifier blocks · CPC title