Power amplifier employing thin film ferroelectric phase shift element

An amplifier, comprising:

• a signal splitter operable to receive an input signal and generate at least first and second split signals;
• a first amplifier adapted to receive the first split signal and to generate a first amplified signal;
• a second amplifier adapted to receive the second split signal and to generate a second amplified signal;
• a combining circuit adapted to generate an output signal which is a sum of the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal;
• and
• a phase control circuit arranged in a signal path of one of the first and second amplifiers, the amount of phase shift provided by the phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a control signal applied thereto, the phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element;
• wherein the phase control circuit is arranged in the signal path of the first amplifier, and wherein the amplifier further comprises a second phase control circuit arranged in the signal path of the second amplifier, the amount of phase shift provided by the second phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a second control signal applied thereto, the second phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element.

A amplifier, comprising:

• a signal splitter operable to receive an input signal and generate at least first and second split signals;
• a first amplifier adapted to receive the first split signal and to generate a first amplified signal;
• a second amplifier adapted to receive the second split signal and to generate a second amplified signal;
• a combining circuit adapted to generate an output signal which is a sum of the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal;
• a phase control circuit arranged in a signal path of one of the first and second amplifiers, the amount of phase shift provided by the phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a control signal applied thereto, the phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element;
• and
• a frequency detector circuit adapted to receive at least a portion of the input signal and to generate a detector signal that is representative of a frequency of the input signal, the control signal being a function of the detector signal.

An amplifier, comprising:

• a signal splitter operable to receive an input signal and generate at least first and second split signals;
• a first amplifier adapted to receive the first split signal and to generate a first amplified signal;
• a second amplifier adapted to receive the second split signal and to generate a second amplified signal;
• a combining circuit adapted to generate an output signal which is a sum of the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal;
• a phase control circuit arranged in a signal path of one of the first and second amplifiers, the amount of phase shift provided by the phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a control signal applied thereto, the phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element;
• and
• a second phase control circuit adapted to receive the output signal and to generate a phase-shifted output signal that is shifted in phase by a desired amount compared to the output signal.

An amplifier, comprising:

• a signal splitter operable to receive an input signal and generate at least first and second split signals;
• a first amplifier adapted to receive the first split signal and to generate a first amplified signal;
• a second amplifier adapted to receive the second split signal and to generate a second amplified signal;
• a combining circuit adapted to generate an output signal which is a sum of the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal;
• a phase control circuit arranged in a signal path of one of the first and second amplifiers, the amount of phase shift provided by the phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a control signal applied thereto, the phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element;
• and
• a second phase control circuit adapted to receive the output signal and to generate a phase-shifted output signal that is shifted in phase by a desired amount compared to the output signal, the amount of phase shift of the output signal being selectively variable as a function of a second control signal applied thereto, the second phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element.

An amplifier, comprising:

• a signal splitter operable to receive an input signal and generate at least first and second split signals;
• a first amplifier adapted to receive the first split signal and to generate a first amplified signal;
• a second amplifier adapted to receive the second split signal and to generate a second amplified signal;
• a combining circuit adapted to generate an output signal which is a sum of the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal;
• and
• at least one phase control circuit arranged in a signal path of one of the first and second amplifiers, the amount of phase shift provided by the phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a control signal applied thereto, the phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element;
• wherein the at least one phase control circuit comprises:
• a first inductor connected in series between an input node and a first node of the phase control circuit;
• a first capacitor connected between the first node and a common node;
• a first variable capacitor connected in parallel with the first capacitor;
• a second inductor connected between the first node and a second node;
• a second variable capacitor connected between the second node and the common node;
• a second capacitor connected in parallel with the second variable capacitor;
• and
• a third inductor connected between the second node and an output node.

An amplifier, comprising:

• a signal splitter operable to receive an input signal and generate at least first and second split signals;
• a first amplifier adapted to receive the first split signal and to generate a first amplified signal;
• a second amplifier adapted to receive the second split signal and to generate a second amplified signal;
• a combining circuit adapted to generate an output signal which is a sum of the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal;
• and
• a phase control circuit arranged in a signal path of one of the first and second amplifiers, the amount of phase shift provided by the phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a control signal applied thereto, the control signal being a function of a frequency of the input signal, the phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element;
• wherein the signal splitter comprises a first interconnection element connected between an input of the power amplifier and a first node the input signal being applied to the input of the power amplifier, a second interconnection element connected between the first node and a second node, the first split signal being generated at the second node, and a third interconnection element connected between the first node and a third node, the second split signal being generated at the third node.

An integrated circuit including at least one amplifier, the at least one amplifier comprising:

• a signal splitter operable to receive an input signal and generate at least first and second split signals;
• a first amplifier adapted to receive the first split signal and to generate a first amplified signal;
• a second amplifier adapted to receive the second split signal and to generate a second amplified signal;
• a combining circuit adapted to generate an output signal which is a sum of the first amplified signal and the second amplified signal;
• and
• a phase control circuit arranged in a signal path of one of the first or second amplifiers, the amount of phase shift provided by the phase control circuit being selectively variable as a function of a control signal applied thereto, the phase control circuit comprising at least one thin film ferroelectric element;
• wherein the control signal is a function of a frequency of the input signal.