US 7,804,366 B2 · Millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits

Abstract

A millimeter wave amplifier constructed on a substrate and configured for use at a frequency of 75 GHz or higher, may include four amplifier stages. A first inter-stage filter, resonant at an operating frequency of the amplifier, may couple the output of the first stage to the input of the second stage. A second inter-stage filter, resonant at the operating frequency, may couple the output of the second stage to the input of the third stage. A third inter-stage filter, resonant at the operating frequency, may couple the output of the third stage to the input of the fourth stage. A plurality of bias supply leads that couple a gate bias voltage and a drain bias voltage to each of the amplifier stages. A plurality of bias line filters, resonant at the operating frequency, may be connected from at least some of the bias supply leads to a ground plane.

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Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

A millimeter wave amplifier constructed on a substrate, comprising:

a first amplifier stage;
a first inter-stage coupling network, resonant at an operating frequency of the amplifier, that couples an output of the first amplifier stage to an input of a second amplifier stage
a second inter-stage coupling network, resonant at the operating frequency, that couples an output of the second amplifier stage to an input of a third amplifier stage;
a third inter-stage coupling network, resonant at the operating frequency, that couples an output of the third amplifier stage to an input of a fourth amplifier stage;
a plurality of bias supply leads that couple a gate bias voltage and a drain bias voltage to each of the amplifier stages;
and
a plurality of resonant bias line filters, resonant at the operating frequency, connected between at least some of the bias supply leads and a ground plane
wherein:
the signal path through the first amplifier stage flows in a first direction,
the signal path through the second amplifier stage flows in a second direction generally opposed to the first direction, and
the signal path through the third amplifier stage flows in the first direction.

8 more elements

A millimeter wave amplifier, constructed on a substrate, comprising:

a first amplifier stage:,
a first inter-stage coupling network, resonant at an operating frequency of the amplifier,
that couples an output of the first amplifier stage to an input of a second amplifier stage
a second inter-stage coupling network, resonant at the operating frequency, that couples an output of the second amplifier stage to an input of a third amplifier stage:,
a third inter-stage coupling network, resonant at the operating frequency, that couples an output of the third amplifier stage to an input of a fourth amplifier stage:,
a plurality of bias supply leads that couple a gate bias voltage and a drain bias voltage to each of the amplifier stages;
and
a plurality of resonant bias line filters, resonant at the operating frequency, connected between at least some of the bias supply leads and a ground plane,
wherein each amplifier stage comprises:
a gate/input pad;
a drain/output pad;
and
one or more transistors coupled between the gate/input pad and the drain/output pad,
wherein:
the drain bias voltage is provided to the drain/output pad of an amplifier stage via a first lead connected directly to the drain/output pad of another amplifier stage,
the first lead has an effective length of about one-half of the wavelength of the operating frequency, and
a first resonant bias line filter is connected from a mid-point of the first lead to the ground plane.

14 more elements

A millimeter wave amplifier, constructed on a substrate, comprising:

a first amplifier stage:,
a first inter-stage coupling network, resonant at an operating frequency of the amplifier, that couples an output of the first amplifier stage to an input of a second amplifier stage
a second inter-stage coupling network, resonant at the operating frequency, that couples an output of the second amplifier stage to an input of a third amplifier stage:,
a third inter-stage coupling network, resonant at the operating frequency, that couples an output of the third amplifier stage to an input of a fourth amplifier stage:,
a plurality of bias supply leads that couple a gate bias voltage and a drain bias voltage to each of the amplifier stages;
and
a plurality of resonant bias line filters, resonant at the operating frequency, connected between at least some of the bias supply leads and a ground plane,
wherein each amplifier stage comprises:
a gate/input pad;
a drain/output pad;
and
one or more transistors coupled between the gate/input pad and the drain/output
wherein:
the drain bias voltage is provided to the drain/output pad of the third amplifier stage via a first lead connected directly to the drain/output pad of the second amplifier stage,
the drain bias voltage is provided to the drain/output pad of the second amplifier stage via a second lead connected directly to the drain/output pad of the first amplifier stage,
the gate bias voltage is provided to the gate/input pad of the second amplifier stage via a third lead connected directly to the gate/input pad of the fourth amplifier stage,
the first, second, and third leads each have an effective length of about one-half of the wavelength of the operating frequency, and
first, second, and third resonant bias line filters are connected from mid points of the first, second, and third leads, respectively, to the ground plane.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,716 words

Summary608 words

#A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade dress rights whatsoever.

#1. Field

#This disclosure relates generally to high frequency millimeter wave integrated circuit amplifiers, and more particularly to a multiple stage amplifier tuned to a specific operating frequency and having a serpentine signal path.

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an exemplary multiple stage amplifier.

#FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary multiple stage amplifier.

#FIG. 3 depicts a physical layout of the exemplary amplifier of FIG. 2.

Detailed description4,025 words

#Description of Apparatus

#The following description is based on an exemplary four-stage amplifier intended for operation at 95 GHz and configured to occupy a small die size relative to conventional amplifiers providing equivalent performance. The techniques and structure described herein may be scaled to amplifiers with more or fewer than four stages, and to frequencies less than or greater than 95 GHz.

#Referring now to the block diagram of FIG. 1, the exemplary four-stage amplifier 100 may have first through fourth amplifier stages 110, 120, 130, 140 and first through third inter-stage coupling networks 115, 125, 135 formed on a semiconductor chip 102. An RF input signal to be amplified is introduced onto the semiconductor chip 102 at an RF input terminal 105. The RF input signal is amplified by the first amplifier stage 110 and then coupled to the input of the second amplifier stage 120 through the first inter-stage coupling network 115. The signal is then amplified by the second amplifier stage 120, coupled through the second inter-stage coupling network 125, amplifier by the third amplifier stage 130, coupled through the third inter-stage coupling network 135 and amplified by the fourth amplifier stage 140. The output from the fourth amplifier stage 140 exits the chip 102 at an RF Out pad 145. The four amplifier stages 110, 120, 130, 140 each receive a drain bias voltage Vd and a gate bias voltage Vg, which are introduced onto the die 102 at respective pads 160, 180.

Facts

Application

12/575,389Filed 7 Oct 2009 · continuation in part

Priority

6 Nov 2008

Published

US 2010/0109776 A16 May 2010

Granted

28 Sep 2010

Term ends

6 Nov 2028

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification5 codes

H03F 3/195
With semiconductor devices only: in integrated circuits
H03F 2200/15
Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers: the supply or bias voltage or current at the drain side of a FET being continuously controlled by a…
H03F 2200/168
Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers: two amplifying stages are coupled by means of a filter circuit
H03F 2200/18
Indexing scheme relating to amplifiers: the bias of the gate of a FET being controlled by a control signal

Family

Application12/266,229Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 6 Nov 2008

US 2010/0109776 A1Pre-grant publication · published 6 May 2010

US 2010/0109784 A1Published application

US 7,843,273 B2Related patent

US 7,804,366 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

6 Nov 2008Priority claimedParent application 12/266,229
7 Oct 2009Application filedUS 12/575,389
27 Oct 2009Assigned to Raytheon Companyassignment of assignor's interest
6 May 2010PublishedUS 2010/0109776 A1
28 Sep 2010GrantedUS 7,804,366 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
6 Nov 2028Term endsEstimated

Millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits

Life of this patent

Millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description4,716 words

Drawings

Classification5 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,716 words