Integrated transmit/receive switch/low noise amplifier with dissimilar semiconductor devices

• US 5,554,865 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 09/10/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Aircraft Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Larson, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ngan V.
• Application Number:
  US08/483,673
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 257/194, 257/195, 257/197, 257/198, 257/273, 257/275
• US Class Current: 257/275
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/034 Duplexers switching devices for waveguides H01P1/10; transmit-receive switching in transceivers H04B1/44
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/0025 Modular arrays

Abstract

A T/R switch/LNA for a radar'"'"'s active array antenna includes dissimilar semiconductor devices in a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC). The devices are selected to best meet the functional requirements of the T/R switch/LNA. In particular, the LNA is realized with a HEMT and the T/R switch is realized with HBTs. The dissimilar devices are adapted from first and second heterostructures that are arranged to be coplanar and separated by an isolation layer.

Claims

1. A monolithic T/R switch/LNA having an input port for reception of a radar signal and an output port for delivery of an amplified radar signal, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate having a depression;

a first semiconductor heterostructure having lateral and depressed portions that are carried on said substrate with said lateral portion positioned laterally from said depression and said depressed portion positioned in said depression; and

a second semiconductor heterostructure carried over said first heterostructure'"'"'s depressed portion;

wherein said first and second heterostructures are formed in a predetermined semiconductor system that includes at least one semiconductor layer having a first bandgap and at least one semiconductor layer having a second bandgap that is wider than said first bandgap,

an amplifier element with an input and an output is formed from one of said first heterostructure'"'"'s lateral portion and said second heterostructure and at least one switching element is formed from the other of said first heterostructure'"'"'s lateral portion and said second heterostructure,

said at least one switching element is arranged to selectively couple said amplifier element'"'"'s input and said input port during said radar signal reception and isolate said amplifier'"'"'s input from said input port at other times, and

said amplifier element'"'"'s output is coupled to said output port.

2. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, wherein said amplifier element comprises a HEMT.

3. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, wherein said at least one switching element comprise respective HBTs.

4. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor system comprises GaAs/Al_x Ga_1-x As.

5. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 4, wherein said substrate comprises GaAs.

6. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, wherein said semiconductor system comprises In_1-x Al_x As/In_1-x Ga_x As.

7. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 6, wherein said substrate comprises InP.

8. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, wherein said first heterostructure'"'"'s lateral portion and said second heterostructure are substantially coplanar.

9. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, further including:

a microstrip input impedance matching network coupling said amplifier element'"'"'s input and said switching element; and

a microstrip output impedance matching network coupling said amplifier element'"'"'s output and said output port.

10. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, wherein said at least one switching element comprises first and second switching elements, with said second switching element coupled to said amplifier element'"'"'s input, and further including:

a transmission line coupling said amplifier element'"'"'s input and said input port; and

a load coupling said first switching element and said input port.

11. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 10, wherein said first and second switching elements each comprise an HBT.

12. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 10 wherein said transmission line comprises microstrip and said load comprises a thin film of a resistive material.

13. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 1, further including an electrically insulative isolation layer between said first heterostructure'"'"'s lateral portion and said second heterostructure.

14. A T/R module for an active array antenna, said module having a signal port, an input port and an output port, said module comprising:

a power amplifier coupled to said output port;

a phase shifter;

a T/R switch/LNA having an output; and

a switching network adapted to connect said phase shifter between said signal port and said power amplifier in a transmit mode of said antenna and to connect said phase shifter between said signal port and said output of said T/R switch/LNA in a receive mode of said antenna;

wherein said T/R switch/LNA includes;

a semiconductor substrate configured to have a depression;

a first semiconductor heterostructure having lateral and depressed portions that are carried on said substrate with said lateral portion positioned laterally from said depression and said depressed portion positioned in said depression; and

a second semiconductor heterostructure carried over said first heterostructure'"'"'s depressed portion;

wherein said first and second heterostructures are formed in a predetermined semiconductor system that includes at least one semiconductor layer having a first bandgap and at least one semiconductor layer having a second bandgap that is wider than said first bandgap,

an amplifier element is formed from one of said first heterostructure'"'"'s lateral portion and said second heterostructure with said amplifier element coupled to said output,

at least one switching element is formed from the other of said first heterostructure'"'"'s lateral portion and said second heterostructure, and

said at least one switching element is arranged to selectively couple said amplifier element and said input port during said radar signal reception and isolate said amplifier element from said input port at other times.

15. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 14, wherein said amplifier element comprises a HEMT.

16. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 14, wherein said at least one switching element comprise respective HBTs.

17. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 14, wherein said first heterostructure'"'"'s lateral portion and said second heterostructure are substantially coplanar.

18. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 14, further including:

a microstrip input impedance matching network coupling said amplifier element and said switching element; and

a microstrip output impedance matching network coupling said amplifier element and said output.

19. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 14, wherein said at least one switching element comprises first and second switching elements, with said second switching element coupled to said amplifier element, and further including:

a transmission line coupling said amplifier element and said input port; and

a load coupling said first switching element and said input port.

20. The T/R switch/LNA of claim 19, wherein said first and second switching elements each comprise an HBT.