# US 7,746,173 B1 · Power amplifier with output harmonic resonators > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,746,173 B1 - Document ID: US7746173B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 12/113,008 - Filed: 2008-04-30 - Granted: 2010-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-30 - Assignees: TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. - Inventors: Hua-Quen Tserng; Warren Robert Gaiewski; David Michael Fanning - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746173B1 ## CPC - H03F 3/195: in integrated circuits - H03F 3/211: {using a combination of several amplifiers (H03F3/60 takes precedence)} - H03F: AMPLIFIERS ## Abstract Embodiments of circuits and systems for a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier employing output harmonic resonators are disclosed. The RF power amplifiers may include amplification circuitry having unit cells and output harmonic resonators co-disposed on a chip. In some embodiments, each unit cell may be coupled with a respective output harmonic resonator. Other embodiments may be described and claimed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A circuit comprising: a plurality of unit cells, each having an input to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and an output to transmit an amplified RF signal; and a plurality of output harmonic resonators respectively coupled with the outputs of the plurality of unit cells to provide harmonic termination impedances to the outputs of the plurality of unit cells, wherein each of the plurality of output harmonic resonators comprises a first inductor coupled in parallel with a capacitor and a second inductor coupled in series with the first inductor and the capacitor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of unit cells and the plurality of output harmonic resonators are implemented on a chip. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The circuit of claim 2, further comprising: a plurality of input harmonic resonators respectively coupled with the inputs of the plurality of unit cells to provide harmonic termination impedances to the inputs of the plurality of unit cells. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The circuit of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of input harmonic resonators comprise an inductor coupled in series with a capacitor, the inductor having a first terminal coupled with the input of the unit cell and a second terminal coupled with the capacitor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of output harmonic resonators provide a series resonance at a second harmonic frequency of the amplified RF signal. ### Claim 6 A circuit comprising: a plurality of unit cells disposed on a chip, each having an input to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and an output to transmit an amplified RF signal; and one or more output harmonic resonators, disposed on the chip, coupled with outputs of the plurality of unit cells to harmonically tune an output impedance for each of the plurality of unit cells, wherein each of the plurality of output harmonic resonators comprises a first inductor coupled in parallel with a capacitor, and a second inductor coupled in series with the first inductor and the capacitor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The circuit of claim 6, wherein the one or more output harmonic resonators comprise a plurality of output harmonic resonators that respectively correspond to the plurality of unit cells. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The circuit of claim 6, wherein the one or more output harmonic resonators are configured to provide a series resonance at the output of each of the plurality of unit cells at a second harmonic frequency of the RF signal to harmonically tune the output impedances. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The circuit of claim 6, wherein the one or more output harmonic resonators are configured to provide a parallel resonance at the output of each of the plurality of unit cells at a third harmonic frequency of the RF signal to harmonically tune the output impedances. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The circuit of claim 6, further comprising: one or more input harmonic resonators, disposed on the chip, coupled with inputs of the plurality of unit cells to harmonically tune an input impedance for each of the plurality of unit cells. ### Claim 11 (depends on 6) The circuit of claim 6, wherein each of the one or more harmonic resonators comprise: a spiral inductor and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor. ### Claim 12 A system comprising: a transmitter including a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier having amplification circuitry with a plurality of unit cells, each having an input to receive an RF signal and an output to transmit an amplified RF signal, and a plurality of output harmonic resonators respectively coupled with the outputs of the plurality of unit cells to provide harmonic termination impedances to the outputs of the plurality of unit cells, wherein each of the plurality of output harmonic resonators comprises a first inductor coupled in parallel with a capacitor, and a second inductor coupled in series with the first inductor and the capacitor; and an antenna structure coupled with the transmitter and configured to facilitate an over-the-air (OTA) transmission of the amplified RF signal. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of unit cells and the plurality of output harmonic resonators are implemented on a chip. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the RF power amplifier is a class E amplifier. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the RF power amplifier is a class F amplifier. ### Claim 16 A method comprising: amplifying, with a plurality of unit cells, a radio-frequency signal; and harmonically tuning an output of each of the plurality of unit cells with a respective one of a plurality of output harmonic resonators, wherein each of the plurality of output harmonic resonators comprises a first inductor coupled in parallel with a capacitor, and a second inductor coupled in series with the first inductor and the capacitor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of unit cells and the plurality of output harmonic resonators are implemented on a chip. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: harmonically tuning an input of each of the plurality of unit cells with a respective one of a plurality of input harmonic resonators. ### Claim 19 A circuit comprising: a plurality of unit cells, each having an input to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and an output to transmit an amplified RF signal; and a plurality of output harmonic resonators respectively coupled with the outputs of the plurality of unit cells to provide harmonic termination impedances to the outputs of the plurality of unit cells, wherein each of the plurality of output harmonic resonators comprises a first capacitor coupled in series with an inductor, and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor coupled in parallel with the first capacitor and the inductor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The circuit of claim 19, wherein the plurality of unit cells and the plurality of output harmonic resonators are implemented on a chip. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The circuit of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of output harmonic resonators provide a series resonance at a second harmonic frequency of the amplified RF signal. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The circuit of claim 19, wherein the one or more output harmonic resonators are configured to provide a parallel resonance at the output of each of the plurality of unit cells at a third harmonic frequency of the RF signal to harmonically tune the output impedances. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The circuit of claim 19, wherein each of the one or more harmonic resonators comprise: a spiral inductor and a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor.