High-frequency power amplifier

• US 20070222520A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 09/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Collabo Innovations, Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsui, Kenta, Tateoka, Kazuki, Koizumi, Haruhiko, Inamori, Masahiko, Makihara, Hirokazu, Matsuda, Singo, Enomoto, Singo
• Granted Patent: US 7,439,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/289
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/30 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce influence of variations of temperature or supply voltage or other physical parameters in differential amplifiers H03F3/45479
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/189 High-frequency amplifiers, e.g. radio frequency amplifiers

Abstract

A high-frequency power amplifier with a temperature compensation function for power amplifying a high-frequency signal, includes: a power amplifying transistor having an emitter grounded; a high power output bias circuit that supplies a high power output current corresponding to a high power output of the high-frequency power amplifier to the power amplifying transistor; and a low power output bias circuit that supplies a low power output current corresponding to a low power output of the high-frequency power amplifier to the power amplifying transistor.

Claims

1. A high-frequency power amplifier with a temperature compensation function for power amplifying a high-frequency signal, the amplifier comprising:

a power amplifying transistor having an emitter grounded;

a high power output bias circuit that supplies a high power output current corresponding to a high power output of the high-frequency power amplifier to the power amplifying transistor; and

a low power output bias circuit that supplies a low power output current corresponding to a low power output of the high-frequency power amplifier to the power amplifying transistor.

2. The amplifier according to claim 1 further comprising:

a capacitor including one electrode for receiving a high-frequency signal and the other electrode connected to a base of the power amplifying transistor; and

a capacitor having one electrode connected to the collector of the power amplifying transistor with the other electrode for outputting a high-frequency signal,

wherein the high power output bias circuit includes a first electrode connected to a first reference voltage apply terminal, a second electrode connected to a bias voltage apply terminal, and a third electrode connected to the base of the power amplifying transistor, and

wherein the low power output bias circuit includes a fourth electrode connected to a second reference voltage apply terminal, a fifth electrode connected to the bias voltage apply terminal, and a sixth electrode connected to the base of the power amplifying transistor.

3. The amplifier according to claim 2, wherein

the high power output bias circuit includes a first temperature compensation circuit for compensating temperature of the high power output current and a first biasing transistor for supplying the temperature compensated high power output current to the base of the power amplifying transistor, and

the low power output bias circuit includes a second temperature compensation circuit for compensating temperature of the low power output current and a second biasing transistor for supplying the temperature compensated low power output current to the base of the power amplifying transistor.

4. The amplifier according to claim 3, wherein an idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be operated by the second biasing transistor at the time of the low power output is smaller than the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be operated by the first biasing transistor at the time of the high power output.

5. The amplifier according to claim 4, wherein a variation coefficient of the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be compensated by the first temperature compensation circuit when the temperature at the time of the high power output varies is equivalent to a variation coefficient of the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be compensated by the second temperature compensation circuit when the temperature at the time of the low power output varies.

6. The amplifier according to claim 3, wherein

the first temperature compensation circuit includes a resistor connected between the first reference voltage apply terminal and the base of the first biasing transistor, and first and second diodes connected in series to each other, each diode having an anode connected to the base of the first biasing transistor and a cathode grounded;

the first biasing transistor includes a collector connected to the bias voltage apply terminal and an emitter connected to the base of the power amplifying transistor;

the second temperature compensation circuit includes a resistor connected between the second reference voltage apply terminal and the base of the second biasing transistor, and third and fourth diodes connected in series to each other, each diode having an anode connected to the base of the second biasing transistor and a cathode grounded; and

the second biasing transistor has a collector connected to the bias voltage apply terminal and an emitter connected to the base of the power amplifying transistor.

7. The amplifier according to claim 3, at least one of the variation coefficient of the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be compensated by the first temperature compensation circuit when the output power of the high-frequency power amplifier is a high power and the reference voltage varies, and the variation coefficient of the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be compensated by the second temperature compensation circuit when the output power is a low power and the reference voltage varies is small.

8. The amplifier according to claim 1 further comprising:

a capacitor including one electrode for receiving a high-frequency signal and the other electrode connected to the base of the power amplifying transistor; and

a capacitor including one electrode connected to the collector of the power amplifying transistor and the other electrode for receiving a high-frequency signal,

wherein the high power output bias circuit includes one electrode connected to the first reference voltage apply terminal and the other electrode connected to the base of the power amplifying transistor, and

wherein the low power output bias circuit includes one electrode connected to the second reference voltage apply terminal and the other electrode connected to the base of the power amplifying transistor.

9. The amplifier according to claim 8, wherein

the high power output bias circuit includes a first temperature compensation circuit for compensating the temperature of the high power output current and a first biasing transistor for supplying the temperature compensated high power output current to the base of the power amplifying transistor, and

the low power output bias circuit includes a second temperature compensation circuit for compensating the temperature of the low power output current and a second biasing transistor for supplying the temperature compensated low power output current to the base of the power amplifying transistor.

10. The amplifier according to claim 9, wherein the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be operated by the second biasing transistor at the time of the low power output is smaller than the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be operated by the first biasing transistor at the time of the high power output.

11. The amplifier according to claim 10, wherein the variation coefficient of the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be compensated by the first temperature compensation circuit when the temperature in the high power output time varies is equivalent to the variation coefficient of the idle current of the power amplifying transistor to be compensated by the second temperature compensation circuit when the temperature at the time of the low power output varies.

12. The amplifier according to claim 8, wherein the driving of the power amplifying transistor is controlled by applying a voltage to the first and second reference voltage apply terminals.