Integrated transmit/receive switch/low noise amplifier with dissimilar semiconductor devices
First Claim
Patent Images
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, andsaid amplifier element'"'"'s output is coupled to said output port.
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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.
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Citations
20 Claims
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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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:
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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. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification