Radio frequency switch

• US 10,277,222 B1
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qorvo US, Inc. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Maxim, George, Scott, Baker, Granger-Jones, Marcus, Leipold, Dirk Robert Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Wells, Kenneth B
• Application Number:
  US15/907,631
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/161 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/693 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits

Abstract

A radio frequency switch having a first node, a second node, and a plurality of switch cells that are coupled in series between the first node and the second node is disclosed. Each of the plurality of switch cells includes a field-effect transistor having a drain terminal, a source terminal, a FET gate terminal, and a body terminal and an off-state linearization network. The off-state linearization network includes varactors coupled to the drain terminal and the source terminal of the field-effect transistor.

Claims

1. A radio frequency switch comprising a first node, a second node, and a plurality of switch cells that are coupled in series between the first node and the second node wherein each of the plurality of switch cells comprises:

a field-effect transistor (FET) comprising a drain terminal, a source terminal, a FET gate terminal, and a body terminal; and

an off-state linearization network comprising;

a first inversion-mode varactor having a first varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a first tuning terminal coupled to the body terminal;

a second inversion-mode varactor having a second varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a second tuning terminal coupled to the body terminal; and

a gate-body switch coupled between the FET gate terminal and the body terminal, wherein the gate-body switch is configured to automatically open when the FET transitions to an on-state that passes a radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal and is further configured to automatically close when the FET transitions to an off-state that blocks passage of the radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal.

2. The radio frequency switch of claim 1 wherein the FET, the first inversion-mode varactor, and the second inversion-mode varactor include a shared body diffusion.

3. The radio frequency switch of claim 1 wherein the first tuning terminal and the second tuning terminal are coupled directly to the body terminal.

4. The radio frequency switch of claim 1 further including a body resistor that couples the first tuning terminal and the second tuning terminal to the body terminal.

5. The radio frequency switch of claim 1 further including a body resistor that shares a body diffusion with the FET, the first inversion-mode varactor, and the second inversion-mode varactor and couples the first tuning terminal and the second tuning terminal to the body terminal.

6. The radio frequency switch of claim 1 further comprising:

a first accumulation-mode varactor having a third varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a third tuning terminal coupled to the source terminal; and

a second accumulation-mode varactor having a fourth varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a fourth tuning terminal coupled to the drain terminal.

7. A radio frequency switch comprising a first node, a second node, and a plurality of switch cells that are coupled in series between the first node and the second node wherein each of the plurality of switch cells comprises:

a field-effect transistor (FET) comprising a drain terminal, a source terminal, a FET gate terminal, and a body terminal; and

an off-state linearization network comprising;

a first accumulation-mode varactor having a first varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a first tuning terminal coupled to the source terminal;

a second accumulation-mode varactor having a second varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a second tuning terminal coupled to the drain terminal; and

a gate-body switch coupled between the FET gate terminal and the body terminal, wherein the gate-body switch is configured to automatically open when the FET transitions to an on-state that passes a radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal and is further configured to automatically close when the FET transitions to an off-state that blocks passage of the radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal.

8. A radio frequency switch cell comprising:

a field-effect transistor (FET) comprising a drain terminal, a source terminal, a FET gate terminal, and a body terminal; and

an off-state linearization network comprising;

a first inversion-mode varactor having a first varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a first tuning terminal coupled to the body terminal;

a second inversion-mode varactor having a second varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a second tuning terminal coupled to the body terminal; and

a gate-body switch coupled between the FET gate terminal and the body terminal, wherein the gate-body switch is configured to automatically open when the FET transitions to an on-state that passes a radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal and is further configured to automatically close when the FET transitions to an off-state that blocks passage of the radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal.

9. The radio frequency switch cell of claim 8 wherein the FET, the first inversion-mode varactor, and the second inversion-mode varactor include a shared body diffusion.

10. The radio frequency switch cell of claim 8 wherein the first tuning terminal and the second tuning terminal are coupled directly to the body terminal.

11. The radio frequency switch cell of claim 8 further including a body resistor that couples the first tuning terminal and the second tuning terminal to the body terminal.

12. The radio frequency switch cell of claim 8 further including a body resistor that shares a body diffusion with the FET, the first inversion-mode varactor, and the second inversion-mode varactor and couples the first tuning terminal and the second tuning terminal to the body terminal.

13. The radio frequency switch cell of claim 8 further comprising:

a first accumulation-mode varactor having a third varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a third tuning terminal coupled to the source terminal; and

a second accumulation-mode varactor having a fourth varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a fourth tuning terminal coupled to the drain terminal.

14. A radio frequency switch cell comprising:

a field-effect transistor (FET) comprising a drain terminal, a source terminal, a FET gate terminal, and a body terminal; and

an off-state linearization network comprising;

a first accumulation-mode varactor having a first varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a first tuning terminal coupled to the source terminal;

a second accumulation-mode varactor having a second varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a second tuning terminal coupled to the drain terminal; and

a gate-body switch coupled between the FET gate terminal and the body terminal, wherein the gate-body switch is configured to automatically open when the FET transitions to an on-state that passes a radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal and is further configured to automatically close when the FET transitions to an off-state that blocks passage of the radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal.

15. A radio frequency switch comprising a first node, a second node, and a plurality of switch cells that are coupled in series between the first node and the second node wherein each of the plurality of switch cells comprises:

a field-effect transistor (FET) comprising a drain terminal, a source terminal, a FET gate terminal, and a body terminal; and

an off-state linearization network comprising;

a first inversion-mode varactor having a first varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a first tuning terminal coupled to the body terminal;

a second inversion-mode varactor having a second varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a second tuning terminal coupled to the body terminal;

a first accumulation-mode varactor having a third varactor gate terminal coupled to the drain terminal and a third tuning terminal coupled to the source terminal;

a second accumulation-mode varactor having a fourth varactor gate terminal coupled to the source terminal and a fourth tuning terminal coupled to the drain terminal;

a gate-body switch coupled between the FET gate terminal and the body terminal, wherein the gate-body switch is configured to automatically open when the FET transitions to an on-state that passes a radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal and is further configured to automatically close when the FET transitions to an off-state that blocks passage of the radio frequency signal between the drain terminal and the source terminal.

16. The radio frequency switch of claim 15 wherein the FET, the first inversion-mode varactor, and the second inversion-mode varactor include a shared body diffusion.

17. The radio frequency switch of claim 15 further including a body resistor that shares a body diffusion with the FET, the first inversion-mode varactor, and the second inversion-mode varactor and couples the first tuning terminal and the second tuning terminal to the body terminal.