Reconfigurable distributed active transformers
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsAbbas Komijani, Seyed-Ali Hajimiri, Scott D. Kee, Ichiro Aoki
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Abstract
Reconfigurable distributed active transformers are provided. The exemplary embodiments provided allow changing of the effective number and configuration of the primary and secondary windings, where the distributed active transformer structures can be reconfigured dynamically to control the output power levels, allow operation at multiple frequency bands, maintain a high performance across multiple channels, and sustain desired characteristics across process, temperature and other environmental variations. Integration of the distributed active transformer power amplifiers and a low noise amplifier on a semiconductor substrate can also be provided.
Claims20
A distributed active transformer comprising:
- a primary winding having one or more pairs of amplifiers;
- a secondary winding disposed adjacent to the primary winding;
- one or more switches that can be used to bypass one or more of the amplifiers;
- and
- wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding are disposed on a semiconductor substrate.
A method for operating a distributed active transformer on a semiconductor substrate comprising:
- controlling a first amplifier and a second amplifier so as to cause current to flow in a first direction on a primary winding section;
- controlling the first amplifier and the second amplifier so as to cause current to flow in a second direction on the primary winding section;
- and
- wherein the current flowing in the first direction and the second direction in the primary winding section induces an alternating current in a secondary winding.
A distributed active transformer comprising:
- a primary winding having two or more sections, where each section has a pair of push/pull amplifiers;
- a secondary winding disposed adjacent to the primary winding;
- a second primary winding having one or more sets of push/pull amplifiers disposed adjacent to the secondary winding;
- and
- wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding are disposed on a semiconductor substrate.
A distributed active transformer comprising:
- a primary winding having one or more pairs of amplifiers, the primary winding further comprising:
- two or more sections, wherein each section terminates in one of the pairs of amplifiers;
- and
- a switch connected to one of the amplifiers from the first section and to one of the amplifiers from the second section, wherein the switch can be used to bypass the amplifier from the first section and the amplifier from the second section so as to combine two of the sections into a single section;
- a secondary winding disposed adjacent to the primary winding;
- and
- wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding are disposed on a semiconductor substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.