Radio frequency switching circuit, radio frequency switching device, and transmitter module device

• US 20070290744A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Adachi, Masakazu, Nakatsuka, Tadayoshi
• Application Number:
  US11/806,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20070290744A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/51
• 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 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 in field-effect transistor switches
• 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: H03K 2017/6875 using self-conductive, depletion FETs
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0054 Gating switches, e.g. pass gates

Abstract

The present invention provides an inexpensive radio frequency switching circuit having desirable radio frequency characteristics over a wide band and desirable endurance against the inflow of a high voltage signal such as an electrostatic surge. Either a negative bias voltage or a positive bias voltage being greater than or equal to 0V and less than or equal to a Schottky forward voltage is used for the control terminals V11 and V12 for controlling FETs 11 to 18 and FETs 21 to 28 so as to turn ON/OFF the path extending from the first input/output terminal P11 to the second input/output terminal P12 and the path extending from the first input/output terminal P11 to the third input/output terminal P13. Thus, it is possible to eliminate the need for DC cut capacitors.

Claims

1. A radio frequency switching circuit for controlling a flow of a radio frequency signal, comprising:

at least one transistor connected together in series with one another and inserted between two input/output terminals for inputting/outputting the radio frequency signal;

a plurality of resistors for grounding a source and a drain of the at least one transistor via a predetermined resistance value; and

a plurality of gate resistors for applying a control voltage to a gate of the at least one transistor via a predetermined resistance value,

wherein either a negative bias voltage or a positive bias voltage being greater than or equal to 0V and less than or equal to a Schottky forward voltage is applied as the control voltage to turn ON/OFF the flow of the radio frequency signal.

4. A radio frequency switching device, comprising:

the radio frequency switching circuit according to claim 1; and

a negative bias generation circuit for generating the negative bias voltage, also having a function of increasing a level of a reference voltage applied from outside.

7. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 4, wherein the voltage level increasing function is able to be turned ON/OFF based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

10. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 4, wherein a level to which the reference voltage is increased is able to be selected based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

13. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 4, wherein a level to which the control voltage to be applied to the gate of each transistor is increased is able to be selected based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

16. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 4, wherein the radio frequency switching device is integrated on a semiconductor substrate.

19. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 16, wherein the transistors are metal-semiconductor field effect transistors.

22. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 16, wherein the transistors are metal-insulator-semiconductor field effect transistors.

25. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 4, wherein a semiconductor chip in which the transistors are formed and the negative bias generation circuit are provided in the same package.

28. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 4, wherein a semiconductor chip in which the transistors are formed and the negative bias generation circuit are formed on the same semiconductor substrate.

31. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 4, wherein the radio frequency switching device is mounted on a multilayer substrate.

34. A transmitter module device, comprising:

the radio frequency switching device according to claim 4; and

a power amplifier to which it is necessary to apply the negative bias voltage.

2. A radio frequency switching circuit for controlling a flow of a radio frequency signal, comprising:

at least one transistor connected together in series with one another and inserted between an input/output terminal for inputting/outputting the radio frequency signal and a ground terminal;

a plurality of resistors for grounding a source and a drain of the at least one transistor via a predetermined resistance value; and

a plurality of gate resistors for applying a control voltage to a gate of the at least one transistor via a predetermined resistance value,

wherein either a negative bias voltage or a positive bias voltage being greater than or equal to 0V and less than or equal to a Schottky forward voltage is applied as the control voltage to turn ON/OFF the flow of the radio frequency signal.

5. A radio frequency switching device, comprising:

the radio frequency switching circuit according to claim 2; and

a negative bias generation circuit for generating the negative bias voltage, also having a function of increasing a level of a reference voltage applied from outside.

8. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 5, wherein the voltage level increasing function is able to be turned ON/OFF based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

11. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 5, wherein a level to which the reference voltage is increased is able to be selected based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

14. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 5, wherein a level to which the control voltage to be applied to the gate of each transistor is increased is able to be selected based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

17. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 5, wherein the radio frequency switching device is integrated on a semiconductor substrate.

20. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 17, wherein the transistors are metal-semiconductor field effect transistors.

23. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 17, wherein the transistors are metal-insulator-semiconductor field effect transistors.

26. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 5, wherein a semiconductor chip in which the transistors are formed and the negative bias generation circuit are provided in the same package.

29. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 5, wherein a semiconductor chip in which the transistors are formed and the negative bias generation circuit are formed on the same semiconductor substrate.

32. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 5, wherein the radio frequency switching device is mounted on a multilayer substrate.

35. A transmitter module device, comprising:

the radio frequency switching device according to claim 5; and

a power amplifier to which it is necessary to apply the negative bias voltage.

3. A radio frequency switching circuit for controlling a flow of a radio frequency signal, comprising:

a plurality of transfer transistors, with at least one of the transfer transistors being connected together in series and inserted between a common input/output terminal for inputting/outputting the radio frequency signal and each of first to n-th input/output terminals;

a plurality of shunt transistors, with at least one of the shunt transistors being connected together in series and inserted between each of the first to n-th input/output terminals and a ground terminal;

a plurality of resistors for grounding sources and drains of the transfer transistors and the shunt transistors via a predetermined resistance value; and

a plurality of gate resistors for applying a plurality of different control voltages to gates of the transfer transistors and the shunt transistors via a predetermined resistance value,

wherein either a negative bias voltage or a positive bias voltage being greater than or equal to 0V and less than or equal to a Schottky forward voltage is applied as the plurality of different control voltages to turn ON/OFF the flow of the radio frequency signal.

6. A radio frequency switching device, comprising:

the radio frequency switching circuit according to claim 3; and

a negative bias generation circuit for generating the negative bias voltage, also having a function of increasing a level of a reference voltage applied from outside.

9. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 6, wherein the voltage level increasing function is able to be turned ON/OFF based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

12. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 6, wherein a level to which the reference voltage is increased is able to be selected based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

15. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 6, wherein a level to which the control voltage to be applied to the gate of each transistor is increased is able to be selected based on a path whose connection state is a DC circuit state.

18. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 6, wherein the radio frequency switching device is integrated on a semiconductor substrate.

21. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 18, wherein the transistors are metal-semiconductor field effect transistors.

24. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 18, wherein the transistors are metal-insulator-semiconductor field effect transistors.

27. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 6, wherein a semiconductor chip in which the transistors are formed and the negative bias generation circuit are provided in the same package.

30. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 6, wherein a semiconductor chip in which the transistors are formed and the negative bias generation circuit are formed on the same semiconductor substrate.

33. The radio frequency switching device according to claim 6, wherein the radio frequency switching device is mounted on a multilayer substrate.

36. A transmitter module device, comprising:

the radio frequency switching device according to claim 6; and

a power amplifier to which it is necessary to apply the negative bias voltage.