Semiconductor integrated circuit

• US 5,903,178 A
• Filed: 10/09/1997
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueda, Daisuke, Miyatsuji, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): LAM, TUAN THIEU
• Application Number:
  US08/948,033
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 327/305, 327/308, 327/389, 327/391, 327/419, 327/427, 327/431, 327/434, 327/435, 327/436, 327/437, 333/81 R
• US Class Current: 327/308
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/366 Multiple MOSFETs are coupled in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/372 Noise reduction and elimination in amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/72 the amplifier stage being a common gate configuration MOSFET
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/1935 with junction-FET devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/693 Switching arrangements with several input- or output-terminals, e.g. multiplexers, distributors logic circuits H03K19/00; code converters H03M5/00, H03M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0036 Means reducing energy consumption

Abstract

A drain and a source of a field-effect transistor are connected to first and second signal terminals, respectively. A first control terminal is connected to a gate. A first resistor is interposed between the gate and the first control terminal. Capacitors are interposed between the source/drain and the first and second signal terminals, respectively. A control terminal is connected to at least one of the source/drain via a second resistor. High frequency signals supplied through the first signal terminal is sent through the field-effect transistor and outputted through the second signal terminal, and a quantity of the transmitted high frequency signals is controlled by a control voltage signal applied across the first and second control terminals. This structure provides a high frequency semiconductor integrated circuits which reduces a power consumption and an occupied area, increases a switchable power, suppresses output distortion, and simplifies a peripheral circuit.

Claims

1. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a plurality of basic circuits for transmitting high frequency signals, wherein each of said plurality of basic circuits comprises:

a field-effect transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain, said field-effect transistor being formed on a substrate;

first and second signal terminals for externally transmitting said high frequency signals to and from said field-effect transistor;

DC component intercepting members coupled between said source and drain of said field-effect transistor and said first and second signal terminals, respectively, each of said DC component intercepting members containing at least a capacitor component having an impedance lower than a line impedance in a frequency band to be used;

a first control terminal connected to said gate and formed on said substrate;

a first preventing member coupled between said gate and said first control terminal, having resistance characteristics of an impedance higher than the line impedance;

a second control terminal connected via a branched line to a line between one of said DC component intercepting members and at least one of said source and drain of said field-effect transistor; and

a second preventing member formed on said substrate and arranged at said branched line, said second preventing member comprising a resistor having an impedance higher than the line impedance;

wherein a quantity of said high frequency signals transmitted between said first and second signal terminals in said basic circuit under the control of control voltage signals applied to said first and second control terminals,

said semiconductor integrated circuit further comprising;

a first voltage supply terminal connected to said second control terminal of a first one of said plurality of basic circuits for supplying a predetermined voltage,

a second voltage supply terminal connected to said first control terminal of a second one of said plurality of basic circuits for supplying a voltage having a predetermined potential different from the predetermined voltage supplied via said first voltage supply terminal, and

a third control terminal commonly connected to said first control terminal of said first one of said plurality of basic circuits and said second control terminal of said second one of said plurality of said basic circuits,

wherein the quantity of said high frequency signals transmitted between said first and second signal terminals of each of said basic circuits is controlled by a control signal sent to said third control terminal.

2. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a plurality of basic circuits for transmitting high frequency signals, wherein each of said plurality of basic circuits comprises:

a field-effect transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain, said field-effect transistor being formed on a substrate;

first and second signal terminals for externally transmitting said high frequency signals to and from said field-effect transistor;

DC component intercepting members coupled between said source and drain of said field-effect transistor and said first and second signal terminals, respectively, each of said DC component intercepting members containing at least a capacitor component having an impedance lower than a line impedance in a frequency band to be used;

a first control terminal connected to said gate and formed on said substrate;

a first preventing member coupled between said gate and said first control terminal, having resistance characteristics of an impedance higher than the line impedance;

a second control terminal connected via a branched line to a line between one of said DC component intercepting members and at least one of said source and drain of said field-effect transistor; and

a second preventing member formed on said substrate and arranged at said branched line, said second preventing member comprising a resistor having an impedance higher than the line impedance;

wherein a quantity of said high frequency signals transmitted between said first and second signal terminals in said basic circuit under the control of control voltage signals applied to said first and second control terminals,

said semiconductor integrated circuit further comprising;

an input terminal connected commonly to said first signal terminal of each of said plurality of basic circuits,

an output terminal connected to said second signal terminal of a first one of said plurality of basic circuits,

a second voltage supply terminal connected to said second signal terminal of a second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

a third control terminal connected commonly to said first control terminal of said first one of said plurality of said basic circuits and to said second control terminal of said second one of said plurality of basic circuits for inputting a control voltage signal,

a first voltage supply terminal connected to said second control terminal of said first one of said plurality of basic circuits, and

said second voltage supply terminal connected to said first control terminal of said second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

wherein each of said plurality of basic circuits is operative as a switch.

3. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a plurality of basic circuits for transmitting high frequency signals, wherein each of said plurality of basic circuits comprises:

a field-effect transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain, said field-effect transistor being formed on a substrate;

first and second signal terminals for externally transmitting said high frequency signals to and from said field-effect transistor;

DC component intercepting members coupled between said source and drain of said field-effect transistor and said first and second signal terminals, respectively, each of said DC component intercepting members containing at least a capacitor component having an impedance lower than a line impedance in a frequency band to be used;

a first control terminal connected to said gate and formed on said substrate;

a first preventing member coupled between said gate and said first control terminal, having resistance characteristics of an impedance higher than the line impedance;

a second control terminal connected via a branched line to a line between one of said DC component intercepting members and at least one of said source and drain of said field-effect transistor; and

a second preventing member formed on said substrate and arranged at said branched line, said second preventing member comprising a resistor having an impedance higher than the line impedance;

wherein a quantity of said high frequency signals transmitted between said first and second signal terminals in said basic circuit under the control of control voltage signals applied to said first and second control terminals,

said semiconductor integrated circuit further comprising;

an output terminal connected to said second signal terminal of a first one of said plurality of basic circuits,

a second voltage supply terminal connected to said second signal terminal of a second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

a third control terminal connected commonly to said first control terminal of said first one of said plurality of basic circuits and to said second control terminal of said second one of said plurality of basic circuits for inputting a control voltage signal,

two resistors of the same resistance interposed between said source and drain, respectively, of said first one of said plurality of basic circuits, said two resistors are commonly coupled to said first signal terminal of said second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

a first voltage supply terminal connected to said second control terminal of said first one of said plurality of basic circuits, and

said second voltage supply terminal connected to said first control terminal of said second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

wherein each of said basic circuits is operative as an attenuator.

4. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a first basic circuit and a second basic circuit, each of said basic circuits operative for transmitting high frequency signals, each of said basic circuits comprising:

a field-effect transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain, said field-effect transistor being formed on a substrate;

first and second signal terminals for externally transmitting said high frequency signals to and from said field-effect transistor;

DC component intercepting members coupled between said source and drain of said field-effect transistor and said first and second signal terminals, respectively, each of said DC component intercepting members containing at least a capacitor component having an impedance lower than a line impedance in a frequency band to be used;

a first control terminal connected to said gate and formed on said substrate;

a first preventing member coupled between said gate and said first control terminal, having resistance characteristics of an impedance higher than the line impedance;

a second control terminal connected via a branched line to a line between one of said DC component intercepting members and at least one of said source and drain of said field-effect transistor; and

a second preventing member formed on said substrate and arranged at said branched line, said second preventing member comprising a resistor having an impedance higher than the line impedance;

wherein a quantity of said high frequency signals transmitted between said first and second signal terminals in said basic circuit under the control of control voltage signals applied to said first and second control terminals,

said integrated circuit device further comprising;

a common input terminal connected to said first signal terminal of each of said basic circuits,

a first output terminal connected to the second signal terminal of said first basic circuit,

a second output terminal connected to the second signal terminal of said second basic circuit,

a third control terminal commonly connected to said first control terminal of said first basic circuit and to said second control terminal of said second basic circuit for supplying a control voltage signal,

a first voltage supply terminal connected to said second control terminal of said first basic circuit, and

a second voltage supply terminal connected to said first control terminal of said second basic circuit,

wherein said first basic circuit and said second basic circuit form a first unit circuit having a signal distributing function for outputting said high frequency signals inputted through said common input terminal through the first and second output terminals.

5. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 4, further comprising:

a second unit circuit having the same structure as said first unit circuit,

a third output terminal commonly connected to the first output terminals of said first unit circuit and said second unit circuit,

a fourth output terminal commonly connected to the second output terminals of said first unit circuit and said second unit circuit, and

a fourth control terminal commonly connected to the third control terminals of said first unit circuit and said second unit circuit,

wherein said control voltage signal supplied to said fourth control terminal is operable to select alternatively said third and fourth output terminals of each of said first unit circuit and said second unit circuit for outputting said high frequency signals sent through said input terminal of each of said first unit circuit and said second unit circuit, and

said first unit circuit and said second unit circuit providing a four-way switch.

6. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising a plurality of basic circuits for transmitting high frequency signals, wherein each of said plurality of basic circuits comprises:

a field-effect transistor having a gate, a source, and a drain, said field-effect transistor being formed on a substrate;

first and second signal terminals for externally transmitting said high frequency signals to and from said field-effect transistor;

DC component intercepting members coupled between said source and drain of said field-effect transistor and said first and second signal terminals, respectively, each of said DC component intercepting members containing at least a capacitor component having an impedance lower than a line impedance in a frequency band to be used;

a first control terminal connected to said gate and formed on said substrate;

a first preventing member coupled between said gate and said first control terminal, having resistance characteristics of an impedance higher than the line impedance;

a second control terminal connected via a branched line to a line between one of said DC component intercepting members and at least one of said source and drain of said field-effect transistor; and

a second preventing member formed on said substrate and arranged at said branched line, said second preventing member comprising a resistor having an impedance higher than the line impedance;

wherein a quantity of said high frequency signals transmitted between said first and second signal terminals in said basic circuit under the control of control voltage signals applied to said first and second control terminals,

a integrated circuit device further comprising;

a first input terminal connected to the first signal terminal of a first one of said plurality of basic circuits,

a second input terminal connected to the first signal terminal of a second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

an output terminal connected commonly to the second signal terminals of said first one of said plurality of basic circuits and said second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

a third control terminal commonly connected to said first control terminal of first one of said plurality of basic circuits and to said second control terminal of said second one of said plurality of basic circuits for supplying said control voltage signal,

a first voltage supply terminal connected to said second control terminal of said first one of said plurality of basic circuits, and

a second voltage supply terminal connected to said first control terminal of said second one of said plurality of basic circuits,

wherein said first one and said second one of said plurality of basic circuits forms a first unit circuit having a signal mixing function for outputting said high frequency signals inputted through the first and second input terminals through said output terminal.

7. The semiconductor integrated circuit according to claim 6, wherein

first signal terminals of a third one and a fourth one of said plurality of basic circuits are connected to the first and second input terminals of said first one and said second one of said plurality of basic circuits, respectively,

said second signal terminals of said third one and said fourth one of said plurality of basic circuits are connected to the second voltage supply terminal,

a second control terminal of said third one of said plurality of basic circuits is connected to said third control terminal, and a first control terminal of said third one of said plurality of basic circuits is connected to said second voltage supply terminal;

and

a first control terminal of said fourth one of said plurality of basic circuits is connected to said third control terminal, and a second control terminal of said fourth one of said plurality of basic circuit is connected to said first voltage supply terminal.