RADIO FREQUENCY POWER AMPLIFIER AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEM

• US 20140368277A1
• Filed: 09/03/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc (ASE Technology Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: DING, JAW-MING, CHANG, HSIN-CHIN, MOU, JIA-HONG
• Granted Patent: US 9,013,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 330/296
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0261 with control of the polarisation voltage or current, e.g. gliding Class A
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/52 Circuit arrangements for protecting such amplifiers monitoring arrangements G01R31/28; increasing reliability in communication systems, e.g. using redundancy H04B1/74
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/18 the bias of the gate of a FET being controlled by a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence

Abstract

A radio frequency (RF) amplifier is disclosed. The RF power amplifier includes a bias circuit, an output-stage circuit and a RF compensation circuit. When a first system voltage is larger than a first voltage threshold value, the bias circuit generates a first current rising slightly. When first system voltage is larger than second voltage threshold value, the RF compensation circuit receives a second circuit rising slightly transmitted from the bias circuit. When the first system voltage is in an operation voltage range, the first current is larger than the second circuit so as to a quiescent operating current of the RF power amplifier is independent of change of the first system voltage. When the first system voltage is larger than a third voltage threshold value, the first current is equal to the second current so as to have the bias current being a zero current to protect the RF power amplifier from over-voltage.

Claims

1. A RF power amplifier, used for receiving and amplifying a RF input signal and accordingly outputting a RF output signal, the RF power amplifier comprising:

a bias circuit, electrically connected to a first system voltage, the bias circuit providing a bias current, wherein when the first system voltage is larger than a first voltage threshold value, the bias circuit receives a first current rising slightly;

a output-stage circuit, electrically connected to a second system voltage and the bias circuit, the output-stage circuit receiving the bias current for working at an operation bias point; and

a RF compensation circuit, electrically connected to the bias circuit, wherein when first system voltage is larger than a second voltage threshold value, the RF compensation circuit receives a second current rising slightly transmitted from the bias circuit, wherein the second voltage threshold value is larger than the first voltage threshold value and when the first system voltage works in an operation voltage interval, current value of the first current is larger than current value of the second current and slope of rising slightly is identical to each other substantially, so that a quiescent operating current of the RF power amplifier is independent of change of the first system voltage,

wherein when the first system voltage is larger than a third voltage threshold value, current value of the first current is equal to current value of the second current, so that the bias current is zero current for over-voltage protecting RF power amplifier, wherein the third voltage threshold value is larger than the second voltage threshold value,

wherein when the first system voltage works in the operation voltage interval, current values of the first current and the second current increase with increasing of the ambient temperature, and rising magnitude is identical to each other substantially, so that the quiescent operating current is a current equal to or close to zero temperature coefficient.

2. The RF power amplifier according to claim 1, wherein first voltage threshold value is between 2.3 volt and 2.5 volt, the second voltage threshold value is between 2.9 volt and 3 volt, the third voltage threshold value is between 5.8 volt and 6 volt, and the operation voltage interval is between 3.2 volt and 4.2 volt.

3. The RF power amplifier according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input match circuit, electrically connected to the output-stage circuit, the input match circuit receiving the RF input signal and then providing performance of matching input power to the output-stage circuit; and

an output match circuit, electrically connected to the output-stage circuit, the output match circuit outputting the RF output signal and then providing performance of matching output power to the output-stage circuit.

4. The RF power amplifier according to claim 3, the bias circuit further comprising:

a first resistor, having one terminal connected to the first system voltage;

a first transistor, having a base connected to another terminal of the first resistor, having a collector connected to the first system voltage;

a second transistor, having a collector connected to the base of the first transistor, having an emitter connected to a ground voltage;

a second resistor, having one terminal connected to an emitter of the first transistor, having another terminal connected to the base of the second transistor; and

a third resistor, having one terminal connected to the emitter of the first transistor.

5. The RF power amplifier according to claim 4, wherein the output-stage circuit comprising:

an output transistor, having a base connected to another terminal of the third resistor, having an emitter connected to the ground voltage; and

a collector resistor, having one terminal connected to the second system voltage, having another terminal connected to collector of the output transistor,

wherein the output transistor receives and amplifies the RF input signal via the input match circuit, and outputs the RF output signal via the output match circuit,

wherein when emitter area of the output transistor is N times of emitter area of the second transistor and resistor value of the second resistor is N times of resistor value of the third resistor, the quiescent operating current of the output transistor is N times of the third current, wherein N is rational number larger than 1.

6. The RF power amplifier according to claim 5, the RF compensation circuit comprising:

a fourth resistor, having one terminal connected to the ground voltage;

a fifth resistor, having one terminal connected to the ground voltage;

a sixth resistor, having one terminal connected to the ground voltage;

a third transistor, having an emitter connected to another terminal of the fourth resistor, having a base connected to another terminal of the fifth resistor;

a fourth transistor, having an emitter connected to another terminal of the sixth resistor, having a base connected to the base of the third transistor;

a seventh resistor, having one terminal connected to another terminal of the fifth resistor, wherein resistor value of the fifth resistor is three times of resistor value of the seventh resistor and resistor value of the fourth resistor and the sixth resistor is less than resistor value of the seventh resistor;

a fifth transistor, having an emitter connected to a collector of the fourth transistor, having a collector connected to another terminal of the first resistor for receiving the second current;

a sixth transistor, having an emitter connected to another terminal of the seventh resistor, having a base connected to a base of the fifth transistor and a collector of the third transistor, having a collector connected to the first system voltage; and

a eighth resistor, having one terminal connected to the collector of the third transistor, having another terminal connected to the first system voltage,

wherein through adjusting ratio of resistor value between the eighth resistor and the first resistor so that the quiescent operating current is a current equal to or close to zero temperature coefficient.

7. The RF power amplifier according to claim 6, wherein when first system voltage is larger than third voltage threshold value, the fifth transistor and the sixth transistor significantly draw all of the first current to be served as the second current, so that the bias current is zero current.

8. The RF power amplifier according to claim 7, wherein when resistor value of the eighth resistor is three times of resistor value of the first resistor and the first system voltage works in the operation voltage interval, current value of the first current is larger than current value of the second current and slope of rising slightly is identical to each other, so that the quiescent operating current is independent of change of the first system voltage.

9. The RF power amplifier according to claim 6, wherein the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, the fourth transistor, the fifth transistor, the sixth transistor and the output transistor are hetero-junction bipolar transistors (HBT).

10. An electronic system, comprising:

a RF power amplifier according to claim 1, the RF power amplifier receiving a RF input signal and outputting a RF output signal; and

a load, electrically connected to the RF power amplifier, the load receiving the RF output signal.