RADIO-FREQUENCY FILTER, MULTIPLEXER, RADIO-FREQUENCY FRONT-END CIRCUIT, AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20200136590A1
• Filed: 12/26/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Original Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co Limited
• Inventors: NOSAKA, Koji
• Granted Patent: US 11,139,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 2210/036 Stepwise
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/205 having multiple resonators crystal tuning forks H03H9/21
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/542 including passive elements H03H9/545 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/568 consisting of a ladder configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/605 consisting of a ladder configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/6403 Programmable filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/6479 Capacitively coupled SAW resonator filters
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 9/6483 Ladder SAW filters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/00 Details of transmission systems, not covered by a single one of groups H04B3/00 - H04B13/00; Details of transmission systems not characterised by the medium used for transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits

Abstract

A filter includes: a series-arm circuit; a first parallel-arm circuit connected to a ground and a node; and a second parallel-arm circuit connected to the ground and a node. The first parallel-arm circuit includes a parallel-arm resonator, and a first switch circuit. The second parallel-arm circuit includes a parallel-arm resonator, and a second switch circuit. The first switch circuit includes a first switch. The second switch circuit includes a second switch. A voltage across the first switch is lower than a voltage across the second switch. A stack count of the first switch is lower than a stack count of the second switch.

Claims

1. A radio frequency filter, comprising:

a series-arm circuit disposed on a path that connects a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal;

a first parallel-arm circuit connected to a ground and a first node on the path, between the first input/output terminal and the series-arm circuit, the first parallel-arm circuit including a first parallel-arm resonator, and a first switch circuit connected in series to the first parallel arm resonator; and

a second parallel-arm circuit connected to the ground and a second node on the path, between the series-arm circuit and the second input/output terminal, the second parallel-arm circuit including a second parallel-arm resonator, and a second switch circuit connected in series to the second parallel-arm resonator, wherein

the first switch circuit includes a first switch element that includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series,

the second switch circuit includes a second switch element that includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series, and

a first stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the first switch element is lower than a second stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the second switch.

2. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

a voltage across the first switch element is lower than a voltage across the second switch element,

the voltage across the first switch element is dependent on a resonant frequency of the first parallel-arm resonator, and a radio frequency power application direction that indicates which of the first input/output terminal and the second input/output terminal radio frequency power is applied through, and

the voltage across the second switch element is dependent on a resonant frequency of the second parallel-arm resonator and the radio frequency power application direction.

3. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

the one or more semiconductor elements included in the first switch element are one or more transistors,

the one or more semiconductor elements included in the second switch element are one or more transistors, and

a gate width of each of the one or more transistors included in the second switch element is greater than a gate width of at least one of the one or more transistors included in the first switch element.

4. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

radio frequency power is applied to the radio frequency filter through the second input/output terminal.

5. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

the first switch circuit further includes a first capacitor connected in parallel to the first switch element, and

the second switch circuit further includes a second capacitor connected in parallel to the second switch element.

6. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

the first switch circuit further includes:

a first inductor connected in series to the first switch element; and

a first capacitor connected in parallel to a circuit constituted by the first inductor and the first switch element connected in series, and

the second switch circuit further includes;

a second inductor connected in series to the second switch element; and

a second capacitor connected in parallel to a circuit constituted by the second inductor and the second switch element connected in series.

7. The radio frequency filter of claim 6, wherein

the first switch circuit includes a plurality of circuits each of which is the circuit constituted by the first inductor and the first switch element connected in series, and

the second switch circuit includes a plurality of circuits each of which is the circuit constituted by the second inductor and the second switch element connected in series.

8. The radio frequency filter of claim 5, wherein

a resonant frequency of the first parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the first switch element is non-conducting is lower than a resonant frequency of the second parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the second switch element is non-conducting.

9. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

the first parallel-arm circuit further includes a third parallel-arm resonator connected in parallel to a circuit constituted by the first parallel-arm resonator and the first switch circuit connected in series,

the second parallel-arm circuit further includes a fourth parallel-arm resonator connected in parallel to a circuit constituted by the second parallel-arm resonator and the second switch circuit connected in series,

a resonant frequency of the first parallel-arm resonator is lower than a resonant frequency of the third parallel-arm resonator,

an antiresonant frequency of the first parallel-arm resonator is lower than an antiresonant frequency of the third parallel-arm resonator,

a resonant frequency of the second parallel-arm resonator is lower than a resonant frequency of the fourth parallel-arm resonator, and

an antiresonant frequency of the second parallel-arm resonator is lower than an antiresonant frequency of the fourth parallel-arm resonator.

10. The radio frequency filter of claim 9, wherein

a resonant frequency of the first parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the first switch element is non-conducting is lower than a resonant frequency of the second parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the second switch element is non-conducting.

11. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

the first parallel-arm circuit further includes a third parallel-arm resonator connected in parallel to a circuit constituted by the first parallel-arm resonator and the first switch circuit connected in series,

the second parallel-arm circuit further includes a fourth parallel-arm resonator connected in parallel to a circuit constituted by the second parallel-arm resonator and the second switch circuit connected in series,

a resonant frequency of the first parallel-arm resonator is higher than a resonant frequency of the third parallel-arm resonator,

an antiresonant frequency of the first parallel-arm resonator is higher than an antiresonant frequency of the third parallel-arm resonator,

a resonant frequency of the second parallel-arm resonator is higher than a resonant frequency of the fourth parallel-arm resonator, and

an antiresonant frequency of the second parallel-arm resonator is higher than an antiresonant frequency of the fourth parallel-arm resonator.

12. The radio frequency filter of claim 11, wherein

a resonant frequency of the first parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the first switch element is non-conducting is higher than a resonant frequency of the second parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the second switch element is non-conducting.

13. The radio frequency filter of claim 1, wherein

the first parallel-arm circuit further includes:

a third parallel-arm resonator; and

a third switch circuit connected in series to the third parallel-arm resonator,

the second parallel-arm circuit further includes;

a fourth parallel-arm resonator; and

a fourth switch circuit connected in series to the fourth parallel-arm resonator,

the third switch circuit includes;

a third capacitor; and

a third switch element that is connected to the third capacitor, and includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series,

the fourth switch circuit includes;

a fourth capacitor; and

a fourth switch element that is connected to the fourth capacitor, and includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series,

an impedance of the third switch circuit is changed by switching between a conducting state and a non-conducting state of the third switch element,

an impedance of the fourth switch circuit is changed by switching between a conducting state and a non-conducting state of the fourth switch element,

a circuit constituted by the first parallel-arm resonator and the first switch circuit connected in series and a circuit constituted by the third parallel-arm resonator and the third switch circuit connected in series are connected in parallel, and

a circuit constituted by the second parallel-arm resonator and the second switch circuit connected in series and a circuit constituted by the fourth parallel-arm resonator and the fourth switch circuit connected in series are connected in parallel.

14. The radio frequency filter of claim 13, wherein

a lower one of resonant frequencies of the first parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the first switch element is non-conducting is lower than a higher one of resonant frequencies of the second parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the second switch element is non-conducting,

a resonant frequency of the first parallel-arm resonator is lower than a resonant frequency of the third parallel-arm resonator,

an antiresonant frequency of the first parallel-arm resonator is lower than an antiresonant frequency of the third parallel-arm resonator,

a resonant frequency of the second parallel-arm resonator is lower than a resonant frequency of the fourth parallel-arm resonator,

an antiresonant frequency of the second parallel-arm resonator is lower than an antiresonant frequency of the fourth parallel-arm resonator,

a higher one of resonant frequencies of the first parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the third switch element is non-conducting is lower than a higher one of resonant frequencies of the second parallel-arm circuit under a condition that the fourth switch element is non-conducting, and

a third stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the third switch element is lower than a fourth stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the fourth switch element.

15. The radio frequency filter of claim 13, wherein

the one or more semiconductor elements included in the third switch element are one or more transistors,

the one or more semiconductor elements included in the fourth switch element are one or more transistors, and

a gate width of each of the one or more transistors included in the fourth switch element is greater than a gate width of at least one of the one or more transistors included in the third switch element.

16. The radio frequency filter according to claim 1, wherein

the radio frequency filter has a ladder filter structure that includes:

two or more series-arm circuits each of which is the series-arm circuit; and

three or more parallel-arm circuits that include the first parallel-arm circuit and the second parallel-arm circuit, and

each of the three or more parallel-arm circuits includes;

a parallel-arm resonator; and

a switch circuit that includes a switch element.

17. A multiplexer, comprising:

a plurality of radio frequency filters that each include;

a series-arm circuit disposed on a path that connects a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal;

a first parallel-arm circuit connected to a ground and a first node on the path, between the first input/output terminal and the series-arm circuit, the first parallel-arm circuit including a first parallel-arm resonator, and a first switch circuit connected in series to the first parallel arm resonator; and

a second parallel-arm circuit connected to the ground and a second node on the path, between the series-arm circuit and the second input/output terminal, the second parallel-arm circuit including a second parallel-arm resonator, and a second switch circuit connected in series to the second parallel-arm resonator, wherein

the first switch circuit includes a first switch element that includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series,

the second switch circuit includes a second switch element that includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series, and

a first stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the first switch element is lower than a second stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the second switch, wherein

input terminals or output terminals of the plurality of filters are directly or indirectly connected to a common terminal.

18. Circuitry for processing a radio-frequency signal, the circuitry comprising:

one or more radio frequency filters, the one or more radio frequency filters each comprising

a series-arm circuit disposed on a path that connects a first input/output terminal and a second input/output terminal;

a first parallel-arm circuit connected to a ground and a first node on the path, between the first input/output terminal and the series-arm circuit, the first parallel-arm circuit including a first parallel-arm resonator, and a first switch circuit connected in series to the first parallel arm resonator; and

a second parallel-arm circuit connected to the ground and a second node on the path, between the series-arm circuit and the second input/output terminal, the second parallel-arm circuit including a second parallel-arm resonator, and a second switch circuit connected in series to the second parallel-arm resonator, wherein

the first switch circuit includes a first switch element that includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series,

the second switch circuit includes a second switch element that includes one or more semiconductor elements connected in series, and

a first stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the first switch element is lower than a second stack count that is a total number of the one or more semiconductor elements connected in series and included in the second switch; and

an amplifier circuit directly or indirectly connected to the one or more radio frequency filters.

19. The circuitry of claim 18, wherein

the amplifier circuit is a power amplifier that amplifies a radio frequency signal to be transmitted, and

the radio frequency signal amplified by the power amplifier is input through an input terminal of the one or more radio frequency filters.

20. The circuitry of claim 18, comprising:

a radio-frequency (RF) signal processing circuit that processes a radio frequency signal to be transmitted by an antenna element, and a radio frequency signal received by the antenna element, wherein

the radio frequency signals between the antenna element and the RF signal processing circuit are conveyed by at least by the one or radio frequency filters and the amplifier.