Semiconductor Antenna Switch
First Claim
1. A semiconductor antenna switch comprising a transmission terminal, an antenna terminal, and a reception terminal, and further comprising:
- (a) a plurality of first field effect transistors coupled in series between the antenna terminal and transmission terminal;
(b) a plurality of second field effect transistors coupled in series between the antenna terminal and the reception terminal, a first of the second field effect transistors being closest to the antenna terminal and a last of the second field effect transistors being closest to the reception terminal;
(c) a plurality of third field effect transistors coupled in series between the transmission terminal and a common terminal, a first of the third effect transistors being closest to the transmission terminal and a last of the third field effect transistors being closest to the common terminal; and
(d) a fourth field effect transistor coupled between the reception terminal and the common terminal, wherein;
each of the third field effect transistors has a gate electrode, a source region, a drain region, and a first off capacitance indicative of a capacitance between the source and drain regions when said each of the third field effect transistors is OFF; and
the first off capacitance of at least the first of the third field effect transistors is larger than the first off capacitance of the last of the third field effect transistors.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A semiconductor antenna switch has an antenna terminal, a transmission terminal and a reception terminal. The antenna switch is capable of reducing harmonic distortion even though it includes field effect transistors formed over a silicon substrate. A shunt transistor including a plurality of series-connected field effect transistors is connected between he transmission terminal and a common terminal, such as a common terminal, which may be an electrical ground. Off capacitances and/or gate widths of a plurality of the series-connected field effect transistors increase monotonically in the direction from the common terminal to the transmission terminal, or equivalently, decrease monotonically in the direction from the transmission terminal to the common terminal.
45 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A semiconductor antenna switch comprising a transmission terminal, an antenna terminal, and a reception terminal, and further comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of first field effect transistors coupled in series between the antenna terminal and transmission terminal; (b) a plurality of second field effect transistors coupled in series between the antenna terminal and the reception terminal, a first of the second field effect transistors being closest to the antenna terminal and a last of the second field effect transistors being closest to the reception terminal; (c) a plurality of third field effect transistors coupled in series between the transmission terminal and a common terminal, a first of the third effect transistors being closest to the transmission terminal and a last of the third field effect transistors being closest to the common terminal; and (d) a fourth field effect transistor coupled between the reception terminal and the common terminal, wherein; each of the third field effect transistors has a gate electrode, a source region, a drain region, and a first off capacitance indicative of a capacitance between the source and drain regions when said each of the third field effect transistors is OFF; and the first off capacitance of at least the first of the third field effect transistors is larger than the first off capacitance of the last of the third field effect transistors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 24, 25)
-
-
16. A semiconductor antenna switch comprising a transmission terminal, an antenna terminal, and a reception terminal, and further comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of first field effect transistors coupled in series between the antenna terminal and the transmission terminal; (b) a plurality of second field effect transistors coupled in series between the antenna terminal and the reception terminal, a first of the second field effect transistors being closest to the antenna terminal and a last of the second field effect transistors being closest to the reception terminal; (c) a plurality of third field effect transistors coupled in series between the transmission terminal and a common terminal, a first of the third effect transistors being closest to the transmission terminal and a last of the third field effect transistors being closest to the common terminal; and (d) a fourth field effect transistor coupled between the reception terminal and the common terminal, wherein; each of the third field effect transistors has a gate electrode, a source region, a drain region, and a first off capacitance indicative of a capacitance between the source and drain regions when said each of the third field effect transistors is OFF; the off capacitances are the same for all the third field effect transistors; and a capacitive element is coupled between the source and drain regions of each of at least some of third field effect transistors, including between the source and drain regions of the first of the third field effect transistors. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification