Sequenced transmit muting for wideband power amplifiers

A power amplifier comprising:

• a plurality of amplifier stages, the plurality of amplifier stages including a plurality of pre-driver stages, a driver stage and a final amplifier stage, one of the pre-driver stages of the plurality of pre-drive stages including a radio frequency (RF) input and the final amplifier stage including an RF output;
• a mute switch positioned to selectively establish a communication path between two of the pre-driver stages of the plurality of pre-driver stages and a termination resistor;
• at least one pre-driver switch to selectively couple a supply voltage and ground to at least one of the pre-driver stages of the plurality of pre-drive stages;
• at least one slow negative-bias-switching (S-NBS) switch to selectively couple one of a first voltage and a second voltage to at least one of the driver stage and the final amplifier stage;
• and
• at least one controller configured to activate the at least one pre-driver switch, the mute switch and the at least one S-NBS switch to selectively place the power amplifier in one of a transmit mode and a mute mode.