Semiconductor amplifier circuit

• US 5,977,823 A
• Filed: 02/05/1998
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Inoue, Akira, Gotou, Seiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Patricia T.
• Application Number:
  US09/018,933
• Time in Patent Office: 635 Days
• Field of Search: 330/277, 330/296, 330/2, 327/430, 327/325
• US Class Current: 330/2
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/523 for amplifiers using field-effect devices H03F1/526 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2203/21178 Power transistors are made by coupling a plurality of single transistors in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/1935 with junction-FET devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/601 using FET's, e.g. GaAs FET's H03F3/607, H03F3/608 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/604 using FET's

Abstract

A semiconductor amplifier circuit receiving a high frequency signal and amplifying and outputting the signal includes a transistor for receiving the high frequency signal; and a waveform control connected to an input terminal of the transistor and controlling a negative value of the high frequency signal to be less than the gate breakdown voltage of the transistor and not below a negative threshold voltage. Therefore, a low distortion characteristic is available even when a transistor with a large magnitude of the gate breakdown voltage is manufactured. As a result, accuracy in controlling the value of the gate breakdown voltage during manufacturing is not required to be as high as in conventional manufacturing, resulting in a lower processing cost as well as improved yield.

Claims

1. A semiconductor amplifier circuit for receiving a high frequency signal having an amplitude with positive and negative components that are positive and negative relative to each other and amplifying and outputting the high frequency signal as an amplified signal, said amplifier circuit comprising:

an amplification transistor for receiving and amplifying the high frequency signal; and

waveform control means connected to an input terminal of the amplification transistor and clipping the negative component of the amplitude of the high frequency signal so that a negative amplitude of the high frequency signal received at the input terminal of the amplification transistor is lower in magnitude than a gate breakdown voltage of the amplification transistor and is not below a threshold negative voltage of the amplification transistor.

2. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein the waveform control means comprises a diode having an anode connected to the input terminal of the amplification transistor and a cathode connected to a ground.

3. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein the waveform control means comprises a transistor connected in parallel with the amplification transistor and having a gate breakdown voltage less than the gate breakdown voltage of the amplification transistor.

4. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 1 including a first resistor connected in series with the waveform control means.

5. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 2 including a first resistor connected in series with the waveform control means.

6. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 4 including a series circuit consisting of a second resistor and a capacitor, the series circuit being connected in parallel with the first resistor.

7. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 5 including a series circuit consisting of a second resistor and a capacitor, the series circuit being connected in parallel with the first resistor.

8. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 1 wherein the waveform control means comprises a plurality of unit waveform shaping sections having different control values and one of the unit waveform shaping sections is connected to the input terminal.

9. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 2 including a semiconductor substrate and wherein a circuit constituting the waveform control means is located on the semiconductor substrate with the amplification transistor.

10. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 3 including a semiconductor substrate and wherein a circuit constituting the waveform control means is located on the a semiconductor substrate with the amplification transistor.

11. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 4 including a semiconductor substrate and wherein a circuit constituting the waveform control means is located on the semiconductor substrate with the amplification transistor.

12. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 5 including a semiconductor substrate and wherein a circuit constituting the waveform control means is located on the semiconductor substrate with the amplification transistor.

13. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 6 including a semiconductor substrate and wherein a circuit constituting the waveform control means is located on the semiconductor substrate with the amplification transistor.

14. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 7 including a semiconductor substrate and wherein a circuit constituting the waveform control means is located on the semiconductor substrate with the amplification transistor.

15. The semiconductor amplifier circuit as defined in claim 8 including a series circuit consisting of a second resistor and a capacitor, the series circuit being connected in parallel with the first resistor.