PHASE SHIFTER

• US 20200136581A1
• Filed: 09/18/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
• Inventors: TANAKA, Tomoyuki, NAKAMURA, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 10,903,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3247 using feedback acting on predistortion circuits H03F1/3264 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3282 Acting on the phase and the amplitude of the input signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/193 with field-effect devices H03F3/195 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 11/20 Two-port phase shifters providing an adjustable phase shift
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/004 Capacitive coupling circuits not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/0115 comprising only inductors and capacitors H03H7/075, H03H7/09, H03H7/12, H03H7/13 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/18 Networks for phase shifting
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/21 providing two or more phase shifted output signals, e.g. n-phase output
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/38 Impedance-matching networks

Abstract

A phase shifter capable of improving phase accuracy by a simple method is provided. The phase shifter includes a hybrid coupler circuit including inductors with mutual inductances, an amplifying circuit, an impedance matching circuit provided between the hybrid coupler circuit and the amplifying circuit. The impedance matching circuit includes a first resistance element connected to an output node of the hybrid coupler circuit, a capacitance element connected between the first resistance element and the ground line in series, another inductor connected in parallel with the first resistance element, and a second resistance element provided between the inductor and the ground line in series.

Claims

1. A phase shifter comprises:

a hybrid coupler circuit including a first output node and a second output node that outputs a first output signal and a second output signal that is out of phase with the first output signal respectively against an input;

a first amplifier circuit including a first input node receiving the first output signal that amplifies the first output signal;

a second amplifier circuit including a second input node receiving the second output signal and amplifying the second output signal;

a first impedance matching circuit that performs impedance matching between the first output node and the first input node and

a second impedance matching circuit that performs impedance matching between the second output node and the second input node,

wherein the first impedance matching circuit includes;

a first resistance element;

a first capacitance element;

a first inductor, and

a second resistance element,

wherein one end of the first resistance element is coupled to the first output node, and the other end of the first resistance element is coupled to one end of the first capacitance element,

wherein one end of the first inductor is coupled to the first output node, and the other end of the first inductor is coupled to one end of the second resistance element,

wherein the second impedance matching circuit includes;

a third resistance element,

a second capacitance element,

a second inductor,

a fourth resistance element,

wherein one end of the third resistance element is coupled to the second output node, and the other end of the third resistance element is coupled to one end of the second capacitance element,

wherein one end of the second inductor is connected to the second output node, and the other end of the

second inductor is coupled to one end of the fourth resistance element.

2. The phase shifter according to the claim 1, wherein the hybrid coupler circuit further comprises:

a third inductor that outputs the first output signal;

a fourth inductor that is coupled to the third inductor with mutual inductance that outputs the second output signal and

a third capacitance element that is provided between the third inductor and the fourth inductor.

3. The phase shifter according to claim 1, further comprising a ground line coupled to the other end of the first capacitance element and to the other end of the first inductor.

4. The phase shifter according to claim 1, further comprising:

a phase control unit that outputs a control signal configured to control the phase of the output of the first and second amplifier circuits, and

a synthesizer circuit coupled to the first and second amplifier circuits,

wherein the first amplifier circuit adjusts the phase of the first output signal based on the control signal to generate a third output signal,

wherein the second amplifier circuit adjusts the phase of the second output signal based on the control signal to generate a fourth output signal,

wherein the synthesizer circuit synthesizes the third output signal and the fourth output signal.

5. A radar system comprising:

a PLL circuit;

a plurality of the phase shifter according to claim 4, to which an output signal of the PLL circuit are input;

a power amplifier that amplifies the output signal of the phase shifter;

a first antenna that outputs an output signal of the power amplifier as an electromagnetic wave;

a second antenna that receives the reflected electromagnetic wave,

a low noise amplifier that amplifies an input signal from the second antenna, and

a mixer that synthesizes an output signal of the low noise amplifier and an output signal of the PLL circuit.

6. The phase shifter according to claim 2,

wherein the third inductor and the fourth inductor are formed of a first metal wiring layer and a second metal wiring layer over the first metal wiring layer,

wherein the first to third capacitance elements correspond to capacitances between the first metal wiring layer and the second metal wiring layer.

7. The phase shifter according to claim 2,

wherein the third inductor and the fourth inductor are formed of the same metal wiring layer,

wherein the first and second capacitance elements are formed using the same metal wiring layer.

8. The phase shifter according to claim 1,

wherein the hybrid coupler circuit further includes a third output node and a fourth output node receiving an inverted signal of the input that outputs a third output signal and a fourth output signal that is out of phase with the third output signal respectively,

wherein the first amplifier circuit further includes a third input node receiving the third output signal,

wherein the second amplifier circuit further includes a fourth input node receiving the fourth output signal,

wherein the first impedance matching circuit further includes:

a fifth resistance element and

a fifth inductor,

wherein one end of the fifth resistance element is coupled to the third output node, and the other end of the fifth resistance element is coupled to the other end of the first capacitance element,

wherein one end of the fifth inductor is coupled to the third output node, and the other end of the fifth inductor is coupled to the other end of the second resistance element,

wherein the second impedance matching circuit further includes;

a sixth resistance element and

a sixth inductor,

wherein one end of the sixth resistance element is coupled to the fourth output node, and the other end of the sixth resistance element is coupled to the other end of the second capacitance element,

wherein one end of the sixth inductor is coupled to the fourth output node, and the other end of the sixth inductor is coupled to the other end of the fourth resistance element.

9. The phase shifter according to claim 8, wherein the hybrid coupler circuit further comprises:

a seventh inductor that outputs the third output signal;

an eighth inductor that is coupled to the fifth inductor with mutual inductance that outputs the fourth output signal and

a fourth capacitance element that is provided between the seventh inductor and the eighth inductor.

10. The phase shifter of claim 9, further comprising:

a phase control unit that controls the phase of the outputs of the first and second amplifier circuits and

a synthesizer circuit that synthesizes the outputs of the first and second amplifier circuits.

11. A radar system comprising:

a PLL circuit;

the phase shifter according to claim 10, to which an output signal of the PLL circuit are input;

a power amplifier that amplifies the output signal of the phase shifter;

a first antenna that outputs an output signal of the power amplifier as an electromagnetic wave;

a second antenna that receives a reflected electromagnetic wave;

a low noise amplifier that amplifies an input signal from the second antenna, and

a mixer that combines an output signal of the low noise amplifier and an output signal of the PLL circuit.

12. The phase shifter according to claim 9,

wherein the third and fourth inductors and the seventh and eighth inductors are respectively formed of a first metal wiring layer and a second metal wiring layer over the first metal wiring layer,

wherein the first to third capacitance elements comprises wiring capacitance between the first metal wiring layer and the second metal wiring layer.

13. The phase shifter according to claim 9,

wherein the third and fourth inductors are formed of a first metal wiring layer, and the seventh and eighth inductors are formed of the first metal wiring layer,

wherein the first and second capacitance elements are formed using the first metal wiring layer.