High voltage, high frequency amplifier circuit

• US 4,590,436 A
• Filed: 04/27/1984
• Issued: 05/20/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GTE Laboratories Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Butler, Scott J., Regan, Robert J., Varallo, Anthony B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mullins, James B.
• Application Number:
  US06/604,778
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• Field of Search: 330/70, 330/71, 330/73, 330/74, 330/124 R, 330/262, 330/269, 330/273, 330/275, 330/276, 330/277, 330/295, 330/297, 330/296
• US Class Current: 330/277
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/1935 with junction-FET devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/265 with field-effect transistors only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/68 Combinations of amplifiers, e.g. multi-channel amplifiers for stereophonics power amplifiers using a combination of several semiconductor amplifiers H03F3/211; combinations of amplifiers using coupling networks with distributed constants H03F3/602

Abstract

High voltage, high frequency amplifier employing power transistors. The amplifier provides parallel ac signal amplification paths through each transistor and a single dc power path through the transistors in series. In one embodiment two FET'"'"'s have their gate electrodes connected to an input terminal and their drain electrodes connected to an output terminal so as to provide two parallel ac amplifying paths while blocking dc current flow. The drain electrode of the first FET is connected through an RF choke to a source of dc operating potential, and its source electrode is connected through an RF choke to the drain electrode of the second FET. The source electrode of the second FET is connected to ground through a zener diode. A single dc conductive path is thus provided between the source of operating potential and ground through the two FET'"'"'s in series.

Claims

1. High frequency amplifying circuitry comprising

an input connection;

an output connection;

first and second transistors each having gate, drain, and source electrodes;

input means coupling said input connection to the gate electrode of the first transistor and to the gate electrode of the second transistor, said input means including a first dc blocking capacitance between the gate electrode of the first transistor and the gate electrode of the second transistor and preventing the flow of dc current between the gate electrode of the first transistor and the gate electrode of the second transistor;

output means coupling the drain electrode of the first transistor and the drain electrode of the second transistor to said output connection, said output means including a second dc blocking capacitance between the drain electrode of the first transistor and the drain electrode of the second transistor and preventing the flow of dc current between the drain electrode of the first transistor and the drain electrode of the second transistor;

whereby parallel first and second ac conductive paths are provided between the input connection and the output connection through the first transistor and the second transistor, respectively;

a single dc conductive path between a source of operating potential and a reference potential, said path being through the first transistor and the second transistor in series, said path blocking ac current flow therethrough, and said path comprising

means including an ac blocking inductance for connecting the drain electrode of the first transistor to said source of operating potential;

means for connecting the source electrode of the second transistor to said reference potential; and

ac blocking inductance means coupling the source electrode of the first transistor to the drain electrode of the second transistor.

2. High frequency amplifying circuitry in accordance with claim 1 including

first dc biasing means connected between the gate and source electrodes of the first transistor for establishing a dc bias potential between the gate and source electrodes of the first transistor;

and

second dc biasing means connected between the gate and souce electrodes of the second transistor for establishing a dc bias potential between the gate and source electrodes of the second transistor, the dc bias potential between the gate and source electrodes of the first transistor being equal to the dc bias potential between the gate and source electrodes of the second transistor.

3. High frequency amplifying circuitry in accordance with claim 2 wherein

said transistors are field effect transistors.

4. High frequency amplifying circuitry in accordance with claim 2 wherein

said transistors are static induction transistors.

5. High frequency amplifying circuitry in accordance with claim 2 wherein

said first dc biasing means includes a voltage reference diode connected between the source and gate electrodes of the first transistor;

and

said second dc biasing means includes a voltage reference diode connected between the souce and gate electrodes of the second transistor.

6. High frequency amplifying circuitry comprising

an input connection;

an output connection;

a plurality of three or more transistors each having gate, drain, and source electrodes;

input means coupling said input connection to the gate electrodes of said plurality of transistors, said input means including first dc blocking capacitances between the gate electrode of each transistor and the gate electrodes of the other transistors of the plurality and preventing the flow of dc current between the gate electrode of each transistor and the gate electrodes of the other transistors of the plurality;

output means coupling the drain electrodes of the plurality of transistors to said output connection, said output means including dc blocking capacitances between the drain electrode of each transistor and the drain electrodes of all of the other transistors of the plurality and preventing the flow of dc current between the drain electrode of each transistor and the drain electrodes of the other transistors of the plurality;

whereby a plurality of parallel ac amplifying paths are provided between the input connection and the output connection through the plurality of transistors;

a single dc conductive path between a source of operating potential and a reference potential, said path being through the plurality of transistors in series, said path blocking ac current flow therethrough, and said path comprising

means including an ac blocking inductance for connecting the drain electrode of the first transistor of the plurality of said source of operating potential;

means for connecting the source electrode of the last transistor of the plurality to said reference potential; and

ac blocking inductance means coupling the source electrode of each transistor of the plurality except the last to the drain electrode of the next transistor of the plurality.

7. High frequency amplifying circuitry in accordance with claim 6 including

a plurality of dc biasing means each being connected between the gate and source electrodes of a transistor for establishing equal dc bias potentials between the gate and source electrodes of each of the plurality of transistors.