High dynamic range low noise amplifier

• US 6,498,535 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Brunone, David J., Allen, Barry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, PATRICIA T
• Application Number:
  US09/605,946
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 330/286, 330/295, 330/302, 330/307
• US Class Current: 330/307
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/565 using inductive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/198 A hybrid coupler being used as coupling circuit between stages of an amplifier circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/294 the amplifier being a low noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/331 Sigma delta modulation being used in an amplifying circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/372 Noise reduction and elimination in amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/604 using FET's

Abstract

A low noise amplifier (82) for use in a wireless telecommunications system. The amplifier (82) includes an amplifying device (90), such as an FET, and a plurality of oscillation stabilization components monolithically integrated on a common substrate (132). The stabilization components reduce the gain of the amplifying device (90) at high frequencies to prevent high frequency oscillations. The substrate (132) is on the order of 4 mils thick, so that the operation of the stabilization components are predictable at high frequencies.

Claims

1. An amplifier comprising;

a substrate;

an amplifying device monolithically integrated on the substrate;

a plurality of oscillation stabilization components electrically coupled to the amplifying device and monolithically integrated on the substrate, said stabilization components suppressing high frequency oscillations in the amplifier;

and wherein the stabilization components include a plurality of inductor and resistor combinations that reduce amplifier gain at high frequency.

2. An amplifier fabricated on a monolithically integrated circuit, said amplifier comprising:

a substrate having a thickness less than 10 mils;

an FET monolithically fabricated on the substrate, said FET including a gate terminal, a drain terminal and a source terminal;

a first inductor and a first resistor electrically coupled to the gate terminal, said first inductor and said first resistor monolithically fabricated on the substrate;

a second resistor and a first transmission line electrically coupled to the gate terminal, said second resistor and said first transmission line monolithically fabricated on the substrate; and

a third resistor and a second transmission line electrically coupled to the source terminal, said third resistor and said second transmission line monolithically fabricated on the substrate.

3. The amplifier according to claim 2 wherein the substrate has a thickness of about 4 mils.

4. A balanced amplifying system for amplifying a signal, said amplifying system including a first amplification path and a second amplification path, said system comprising:

an input coupler receiving the signal and splitting the signal into the first and second paths, so that the signal is 90-degrees out of phase on the first and second paths;

a first amplifier positioned in the first path, said first amplifier including an amplification device for amplifying the signal and a plurality of oscillation stabilization components, said amplifier and stabilization components in the first amplifier being monolithically integrated on a first substrate, said stabilization components preventing high frequency oscillations in the first amplifier;

at least one impedance matching network positioned in the first path and providing impedance matching for the first amplifier;

a second amplifier positioned in the second path, said second amplifier including an amplification device for amplifying the signal and a plurality of oscillation stabilization components, said amplifier and stabilization components in the second amplifier being monolithically integrated on a second substrate, said stabilization components preventing high frequency oscillations in the second amplifier,

at least one impedance matching network positioned in the second path and providing impedance matching for the second amplifier; and

an output coupler receiving amplified signals from the first and second paths, and coupling the amplified signals into a single output.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the input coupler, the impedance matching network in the first path, the impedance matching network in the second path and the output coupler are integrated on a substrate that is different than the first and second substrates.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein the input coupler, the impedance matching network in the first path, the impedance matching network in the second path and the output coupler are integrated on the same substrate.

7. The system according to claim 4 wherein the first and second substrates are about 4 mils thick.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein the same substrate is significantly thicker than the first and second substrates.

9. The system according to claim 4 wherein the system is a low noise amplifier for a receiver.