Front end systems with linearized low noise amplifier and injection-locked oscillator power amplifier stage

• US 10,629,553 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2019
• Issued: 04/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Soliman, Yasser Khairat, Wallis, Leslie Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Dhaval V
• Application Number:
  US16/354,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20190214354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 403 Days
• 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
• 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 power amplifier 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 power amplifier includes an injection-locked oscillator driver stage. Other embodiments of front end systems are disclosed, along with related devices, integrated circuits, modules, methods, and components thereof.

Claims

1. A front end system comprising:

a low noise amplifier in a receive path of the front end system, the low noise amplifier including 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; and

a power amplifier in a transmit path of the front end system, the power amplifier including an injection-locked oscillator driver stage that includes a negative transconductance circuit electrically connected to an inductor-capacitor tank, the negative transconductance circuit configured to provide energy to the inductor-capacitor tank to maintain oscillation.

2. The front end system of claim 1 further comprising a radio frequency switch coupled to the low noise amplifier and the power amplifier.

3. The front end system of claim 2 wherein the radio frequency switch is configured to electrically couple an antenna port to the transmit path in a first state and the electrically couple the antenna port to the receive path in a second state.

4. The front end system of claim 1 wherein the injection-locked oscillator driver stage includes an output balun configured to provide a differential to singled-ended signal conversion.

5. The front end system of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier includes an output stage having an input electrically connected to an output of the injection-locked oscillator driver stage, the output stage configured to receive an adjustable supply voltage.

6. The front end system of claim 5 further comprising a supply control circuit configured to control a voltage level of the adjustable supply voltage based on a mode of the power amplifier.

7. The front end system of claim 5 wherein the injection-locked oscillator driver stage is powered by a substantially fixed supply voltage.

8. The front end system of claim 1 wherein the injection-locked oscillator driver stage is configured to receive a single-ended input signal, and the injection-locked oscillator driver stage includes an input transformer configured to convert the single-ended input signal to a differential input signal.

9. The front end system of claim 1 wherein the amplification circuit of the low noise amplifier is configured to receive a radio frequency signal by way of the first inductor.

10. The front end system of claim 9 wherein the amplification circuit includes a first transistor configured to receive the radio frequency signal and a cascode transistor in series with the first transistor.

11. 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 coupled to the first inductor;

(ii) an amplification circuit configured to receive the radio frequency signal 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 power amplifier in a transmit path of the front end system, the power amplifier including an injection-locked oscillator driver stage.

12. The front end system of claim 11 wherein the injection-locked oscillator driver stage includes a negative transconductance circuit electrically connected to an inductor-capacitor tank, the negative transconductance circuit configured to provide energy to the inductor-capacitor tank to maintain oscillation.

13. The front end system of claim 11 wherein the input matching circuit further includes a direct current blocking capacitor electrically coupled to the first end of the series inductor.

14. The front end system of claim 11 wherein the power amplifier includes an output stage having an input electrically connected to an output of the injection-locked oscillator driver stage.

15. The front end system of claim 14 further comprising a supply control circuit configured to provide an adjustable supply voltage to the output stage.

16. A packaged front end module comprising:

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

a power amplifier within the package, the power amplifier including an injection-locked oscillator driver stage configured to receive a transmit radio frequency input signal and to generate an injection-locked radio frequency signal; and

a radio frequency switch within the package, the radio frequency switch coupled to the low noise amplifier and the power amplifier.

17. The packaged front end module of claim 16 wherein the power amplifier includes an output stage configured to receive an adjustable supply voltage corresponding to different modes of the power amplifier.

18. The packaged front end module of claim 16 wherein the low noise amplifier includes a direct current blocking capacitor, and the first inductor is configured to receive the receive radio frequency signal by way of the direct current blocking capacitor.

19. The packaged front end module of claim 16 wherein the low noise amplifier and the power amplifier are embodied on a single semiconductor-on-insulator die.

20. A wireless communication device comprising:

a low noise amplifier in a receive path, the low noise amplifier including 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;

a power amplifier in a transmit path, the power amplifier including an injection-locked oscillator driver stage that includes a negative transconductance circuit electrically connected to an inductor-capacitor tank, the negative transconductance circuit configured to provide energy to the inductor-capacitor tank to maintain oscillation;

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.

21. The wireless communication device of claim 20 wherein the wireless communication device is an Internet of things device.

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