Multi-substrate radio-frequency circuit
First Claim
1. A radio-frequency (RF) circuit comprising:
- a first passive RF matching element fabricated within a first substrate at a first embeddment level the first substrate being selected from the group consisting of silicon, glass. Teflon and aluminia;
an RF amplifier circuit fabricated within a second substrate physically coupled to said first substrate, said RF amplifier circuit being electrically coupled to said first passive RF matching element, the second substrate being selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide and silicon germanium;
a second passive RF matching element fabricated within said first substrate at said first embeddment level and electrically coupled to said RF amplifier circuit; and
a DC bias circuit fabricated within the first substrate at a second embeddment level, the DC bias circuit for providing DC bias current to the RF amplifier circuit, the second embeddment level being non-coplanar with the first embeddment level.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radio-frequency circuit (20) includes a hybrid integrated circuit (24) having a passive circuit element (38) and a d-c biasing circuit element (54) embedded within a first substrate (32) of a low cost and rugged first semiconducting material, and first and second active circuit elements (36, 40) embedded within second and third substrates (44, 46), respectively, of a second semiconductor material having the characterisitics of greater frangibility but higher gain than the first semiconductor material. The first and second activ circuit elements (36, 40) are substantially first and second single components (36, 40), and are each electrically coupled to the passive circuit element (38). The d-c biasing circuit element (54) is electrically coupled to the first and second active circuit elements (36, 40). The second and third substrates (44, 46) are physically coupled to the first substrate (32), which is thicker than either the second or third substrate (44, 46).
78 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A radio-frequency (RF) circuit comprising:
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a first passive RF matching element fabricated within a first substrate at a first embeddment level the first substrate being selected from the group consisting of silicon, glass. Teflon and aluminia; an RF amplifier circuit fabricated within a second substrate physically coupled to said first substrate, said RF amplifier circuit being electrically coupled to said first passive RF matching element, the second substrate being selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide and silicon germanium; a second passive RF matching element fabricated within said first substrate at said first embeddment level and electrically coupled to said RF amplifier circuit; and a DC bias circuit fabricated within the first substrate at a second embeddment level, the DC bias circuit for providing DC bias current to the RF amplifier circuit, the second embeddment level being non-coplanar with the first embeddment level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of processing a radio-frequency RF signal through a radio-frequency circuit extending over first, second, and third semiconductor substrates, wherein said second and third substrates are physically coupled to said first substrate, said method comprising the steps of:
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propagating the RF signal through a first passive RF impedance matching element fabricated within the first substrate at a first embeddment level, the first substrate being selected from the group consisting of silicon, glass, Teflon and aluminia; amplifying the RF signal with an RF amplifier circuit fabricated within a second substrate physically coupled to said first substrate, said RF amplifier circuit being electrically coupled to said first passive RF matching element, the second substrate being selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide and silicon germanium; propagating the RF signal through a second passive RF matching element fabricated within said first substrate at said first embeddment level and electrically coupled to said RF amplifier circuit; and providing DC bias current to the RF amplifier circuit with a DC bias circuit fabricated within the first substrate at a second embeddment level, the second embeddment level being non-coplanar with the first embeddment level. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A millimeter-wave active radio-frequency antenna array comprising:
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a non-conductive plate; a multiplicity of radiative elements; and a multiplicity of hybrid radio-frequency (RF) integrated circuits wherein each of said hybrid RF integrated circuits is electrically coupled to one of said radiative elements, each hybrid RF integrated circuit bonded to said non-conductive plate, and wherein each of said hybrid RF integrated circuits comprises; a first passive RF matching element fabricated within a silicon substrate; an RF amplifier circuit electrically coupled to said first passive RF matching element, said RF amplifier circuit fabricated within a Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) substrate material, said physically coupled to said silicon substrate; a second passive RF matching element fabricated within said silicon substrate electrically coupled to said RF amplifier circuit; and a DC bias circuit fabricated within the silicon substrate for providing DC bias current to the RF amplifier circuit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification