Transistor amplifier stage

• US 5,986,509 A
• Filed: 07/28/1998
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Lohninger, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Patricia T.
• Application Number:
  US09/123,827
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 330/290, 330/296, 330/310, 330/311, 330/285
• US Class Current: 330/290
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/302 in bipolar transistor amplifiers H03F1/303, H03F1/305, H03F1/307 take precedence

Abstract

A transistor amplifier stage, in particular an RF amplifier stage with an npn amplifier transistor, which is coupled with its base to an alternating voltage input terminal, with its emitter to a fixed potential, and with its collector to an alternating voltage output terminal. An active operating point stabilization unit with a first and a second pnp transistor is provided between a direct voltage input terminal and the base of the npn amplifier transistor.

Claims

1. A transistor amplifier stage, comprising:

an npn amplifier transistor having a base, an emitter and a collector;

an alternating voltage input terminal connected to the base of the npn amplifier transistor;

a fixed potential connected to the emitter of the npn amplifier transistor;

an alternating voltage output terminal connected to the collector of the npn amplifier transistor;

an active operating point stabilization unit having both first and second pnp transistors which, in turn, each have a base, an emitter and a collector, the stabilization unit positioned between a direct voltage input terminal and the base of the npn amplifier transistor, wherein the collector of the first pnp transistor is coupled to the base of the second pnp transistor, the base of the first pnp transistor is coupled to the emitter of the second pnp transistor, the emitter of the first pnp transistor is coupled to the direct voltage input terminal, and the collector of the second pnp transistor is coupled to the base of the npn amplifier transistor; and

a further circuit terminal coupled to the emitter of the second pnp transistor.

2. A transistor amplifier stage as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a first resistor connected between the base of the npn amplifier transistor and the collector of the second pnp transistor.

3. A transistor amplifier stage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector of the first pnp transistor is coupled to the fixed potential.

4. A transistor amplifier stage as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collector of the first pnp transistor is coupled to a control terminal.

5. A transistor amplifier stage as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

an npn pre-stage transistor coupled to the npn amplifier transistor wherein the combination forms a Darlington amplifier stage.

6. A transistor amplifier stage as claimed in claim 5, further comprising:

a second resistor connected between the base and the collector of the npn pre-stage transistor;

a third resistor connected between the emitter of the npn pre-stage transistor and the fixed potential;

a fourth resistor connected between the base of the npn pre-stage transistor and the fixed potential; and

wherein the emitter of the npn pre-stage transistor is coupled to both the base of the npn amplifier transistor and the fixed potential, the collector of the npn pre-stage transistor is coupled to the collector of the npn amplifier transistor, and the base of the npn pre-stage transistor is coupled to the alternating voltage input terminal.