High speed, high efficiency, high power RF pulse modulating integrated switch

A method for providing gate sensed active pulldown to a high power switch, comprising:

• receiving, at a control module, a control signal for controlling an output voltage of a high power switch, the control signal communicating an on state and an off state for the high power switch;
• generating, by the control module, a first input state at an input to the high power switch to turn on the high power switch in response to the control signal communicating an on state for the high power switch;
• generating, by the control module, a second input state at an input to the high power switch to turn off the high power switch in response to the control signal communicating an off state for the high power switch;
• monitoring the input to the high power switch to determine whether the input to the high power switch is in the first input state or the second input state;
• and
• pulling down the output voltage of the high power switch to zero volts by an active pulldown module when the input to the high power switch is determined to transition to the second input state.

A radar system, comprising:

• a waveform generator for generating radar waveforms;
• a high power amplifier, arranged to receive the generated waveforms and to amplify the generated waveforms to produce a high power radar transmission signal;
• a drain modulator, coupled to the high power amplifier, the drain modulator arranged to switch the high power amplifier on and off, wherein the drain modulator includes:
• a logic and sense module arranged to receive a control signal for controlling an on and an off state of an input of a switch to turn a high power voltage at an output of the switch on and off for turning the high power amplifier on and off;
• a pullup module coupled to the input of the switch;
• a pulldown module coupled to the input of the switch;
• and
• an active pulldown module coupled to the output of the switch;
• wherein the logic and sense module monitors the input to the switch and activates the active pulldown module to drain the output of the switch to a zero voltage when the input of the switch transitions to the off state.