Radio frequency switch with low oxide stress
AssigneeSkyworks Solutions, Inc.
InventorQiang Li
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A RF switch circuit includes a voltage divider circuit and a semiconductor device. The semiconductor device has an activated state and a deactivated state. The voltage divider circuit has an input terminal connected to a first line and an output terminal connected to a second line. The first line is connected to a power source. A gate terminal of the semiconductor device is connected to the second line. In the activated state, a source terminal and a drain terminal of the semiconductor device are each selectively connected to ground. In the deactivated state, the source terminal and the drain terminal of the semiconductor device are each selectively connected to the power source.
Claims20
A circuit arrangement comprising a radio frequency (RF) switch circuit, the radio frequency switch circuit comprising:
- a voltage divider circuit having an input terminal connected to a first line and an output terminal connected to a second line, the first line being connected to a power source for a supply voltage;
- a semiconductor device having an activated state and a deactivated state, a gate terminal of the semiconductor device being connected to the second line of the voltage divider circuit in the activated state, a source terminal and a drain terminal of the semiconductor device each being selectively connected to ground and in the deactivated state, the source terminal and the drain terminal of the semiconductor device each being selectively connected to the power source, oxide direct current stress between the gate terminal and either or both the source terminal and the drain terminal being maintained below power handling limits of the semiconductor device in the deactivated state and the activated state based upon a direct current gate voltage reduced from the supply voltage by the voltage divider.
A method for configuring and operating a semiconductor switch for processing of radio frequency signals, comprising:
- applying an input voltage over a first line to a voltage divider circuit;
- applying an output voltage of the voltage divider over a second line to a gate terminal of a triple-well n-channel metal oxide semiconductor transistor, the output voltage of the voltage divider circuit always being above a threshold of the triple-well n-channel metal oxide semiconductor transistor to guarantee switch function, while oxide direct current stress between the gate terminal and either or both the source terminal and the drain terminal being maintained below power handling limits of the triple-well n-channel metal oxide semiconductor transistor in the deactivated state and the activated state based upon a direct current gate voltage reduced from the input voltage by the voltage divider circuit.
A circuit assembly including a radio frequency switch circuit, the assembly comprising:
- a gate resistor;
- a voltage divider with an input connected to a power source generating a supply voltage and an output connected to the gate resistor;
- and
- a triple-well n-channel metal oxide semiconductor transistor with an activated state and a deactivated state, and including a gate, a source and a drain the gate being connected to the gate resistor and the source and the drain each being selectively connectable to ground to transition the triple-well n-channel metal oxide semiconductor transistor to the activated state and to the power source to transition the triple-well n-channel metal oxide semiconductor transistor to the deactivated state, oxide direct current stress between the gate and either or both the source and the drain being maintained below power handling limits of the triple-well n-channel metal oxide semiconductor transistor in the deactivated state and the activated state based upon a direct current gate voltage reduced from the supply voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.