Front end systems and related devices, integrated circuits, modules, and methods

• US 10,276,521 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2017
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Babcock, Gregory Edward, DeOrio, Lori Ann, Frenette, Darren Roger, Khoury, George, LoBianco, Anthony James, Nguyen, Hoang Mong, Soliman, Yasser Khairat, Wallis, Leslie Paul, Rodriguez, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhaval V
• Application Number:
  US15/857,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20180226367A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• Field of Search: 375219, 375315, 375340, 375345, 375347, 375349, 375350, 455 73, 455133, 455137, 4552321, 4552341, 4552262, 4552411
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/006 the substrate being distinct from the light source holder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/665 Bias feed arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6655 Matching arrangements, e.g. arrangement of inductive and capacitive components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6677 for antenna, e.g. antenna included within housing of semiconductor device antennas per se H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/32145 the bodies being stacked
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48195 the item being a discrete passive component
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49171 Fan-out arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/73265 Layer and wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19104 on the semiconductor or solid-state device, i.e. passive-on-chip
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2283 mounted in or on the surface of a semiconductor substrate as a chip-type antenna or integrated with other components into an IC package
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/42 with folded element, the folded parts being spaced apart a small fraction of the operating wavelength
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/223 : with MOSFET's
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/32 : Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion by negative feedback H03F1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3205 : in field-effect transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/347 : using transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/565 : using inductive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/222 : A circuit being added at the input of an amplifier to adapt the input impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 : the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 : the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/534 : Transformer coupled at the input of an amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 : in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 : with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/0475 : with means for limiting noise, interference or distortion H04B1/0483 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 : Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0433 : with linearisation using feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 : WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 : via wireless transmission

Abstract

Front end systems and related devices, integrated circuits, modules, and methods are disclosed. One such front end system includes a low noise amplifier in a receive path and a multi-mode power amplifier circuit in a transmit path. The low noise amplifier includes a first inductor, an amplification circuit, and a second inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor to provide negative feedback to linearize the low noise amplifier. The multi-mode power amplifier circuit includes a stacked output stage including a transistor stack of two or more transistors. The multi-mode power amplifier circuit also includes a bias circuit configured to control a bias of at least one transistor of the transistor stack based on a mode of the multi-mode power amplifier circuit. Other embodiments of front end systems are disclosed, along with related devices, integrated circuits, modules, methods, and components thereof.

Claims

1. A packaged module comprising:

a low noise amplifier within a package, the low noise amplifier including a first inductor, a series inductor having a first end configured to receive a radio frequency signal and a second end electrically connected to the first inductor, an amplification circuit configured to receive the radio frequency signal by way of the first inductor, and a second inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor to provide negative feedback to linearize the low noise amplifier; and

a multi-mode power amplifier circuit within the package, the multi-mode power amplifier circuit including a stacked output stage including a transistor stack of two or more transistors, and the multi-mode power amplifier circuit including a bias circuit configured to control a bias of at least one transistor of the transistor stack based on a mode of the multi-mode power amplifier circuit.

2. The packaged module of claim 1 further comprising a package substrate, a radio frequency shielding structure extending above the package substrate and enclosing the low noise amplifier and the multi-mode power amplifier circuit, and an antenna on the package substrate external to the radio frequency shielding structure.

3. The packaged module of claim 2 wherein the antenna is a multi-layer antenna.

4. The front end system of claim 1 further comprising a die supported by a package substrate and a crystal supported by the package substrate, the crystal being disposed between the die and the package substrate, and the die including the low noise amplifier and the multi-mode power amplifier.

5. A front end system comprising:

a low noise amplifier in a receive path of the front end system, the low noise amplifier including (i) an input matching circuit that includes a first inductor and a series inductor, the series inductor having a first end configured to receive a radio frequency signal and a second end electrically connected to the first inductor;

(ii) an amplification circuit configured to receive the radio frequency by way of the first inductor; and

(iii) a second inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor to provide negative feedback to linearize the low noise amplifier; and

a multi-mode power amplifier circuit in a transmit path of the front end system, the multi-mode power amplifier circuit including a stacked output stage including a transistor stack of two or more transistors, and the multi-mode power amplifier circuit including a bias circuit configured to control a bias of at least one transistor of the transistor stack based on a mode of the multi-mode power amplifier circuit.

6. The front end system of claim 5 wherein the bias circuit is configured to bias a transistor of the transistor stack to a linear region of operation in a first mode, and as a switch in a second mode.

7. The front end system of claim 6 wherein the bias circuit is configured to bias the transistor in a saturation region of operation in the second mode.

8. The front end system of claim 6 wherein the second mode is associated with a lower power than the first mode.

9. The front end system of claim 6 wherein the stacked output stage is configured to receive a supply voltage having a lower voltage level in the second mode relative to the first mode.

10. The front end system of claim 5 further comprising a supply control circuit configured to provide a supply voltage to the stacked output stage such that the supply voltage has a different voltage level in each of at least three different modes.

11. The front end system of claim 5 wherein the transistor stack includes at least three transistors in series.

12. The front end system of claim 10 wherein the multi-mode power amplifier circuit includes an input stage having an output electrically coupled to an input of the stacked output stage, and the supply control circuit is configured to provide an input stage supply voltage to the input state, the input stage supply voltage having a substantially constant voltage level in each of the three different modes.

13. The front end system of claim 5 further comprising a low noise amplifier bias circuit configured to apply a low noise amplifier bias signal at a node between the first inductor and the series inductor.

14. The front end system of claim 5 wherein the input matching circuit further includes a direct current blocking capacitor configured to provide the radio frequency signal to the series inductor.

15. The front end system of claim 5 wherein the second inductor is a degeneration inductor.

16. The front end system of claim 5 further comprising a radio frequency switch coupled to the low noise amplifier and the multi-mode power amplifier circuit.

17. The front end system of claim 16 wherein the radio frequency switch is configured to electrically couple an antenna port to the transmit path in a first state and to electrically couple the antenna port to the receive path in a second state.

18. A wireless communication device comprising:

a low noise amplifier in a receive path of a front end system, the low noise amplifier including a first inductor, a series inductor having a first end configured to receive a radio frequency signal and a second end electrically connected to the first inductor, an amplification circuit configured to receive the radio frequency signal by way of the first inductor, and a second inductor magnetically coupled to the first inductor to provide negative feedback to linearize the low noise amplifier;

a multi-mode power amplifier circuit in a transmit path of the front end system, the multi-mode power amplifier circuit including a stacked output stage including a transistor stack of two or more transistors, and the multi-mode power amplifier circuit including a bias circuit configured to control a bias of at least one transistor of the transistor stack based on a mode of the multi-mode power amplifier circuit;

an antenna; and

a radio frequency switch configured to electrically couple the antenna to the transmit path in a first state and to electrically couple the antenna to the receive path in a second state.

19. The wireless communication device of claim 18 wherein the low noise amplifier and the multi-mode power amplifier are embodied on a single semiconductor-on-insulator die.

20. The wireless communication device of claim 18 wherein the multi-mode power amplifier circuit is configured to output a wireless local area network signal for transmission via the antenna.