High frequency switch circuit

• US 6,987,414 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2002
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Numata, Keiichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, My-Trang Nu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hiep
• Application Number:
  US10/470,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 327/365, 327/493, 327/376, 327/377, 327/416, 327/417, 333/103, 333/104
• US Class Current: 327/365
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/15 by semiconductor 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

Abstract

A high frequency switch circuit including high frequency terminals which input/output a high frequency signal, high frequency semiconductor switch sections which are arranged on lines coupling the high frequency terminals, a DC potential isolating circuit which isolates the plurality of high frequency semiconductors switch sections from each other in a DC state, and DC potential transmission sections. Each DC potential transmission section couples a control side of an associated high frequency semiconductor switching section to at least one of an input side and an output side of another one of the plurality of high frequency semiconductor switch sections.

Claims

1. A high frequency switch circuit, comprising:

a plurality of high frequency terminals which input/output a high frequency signal,

a plurality of high frequency semiconductor switch sections which are arranged on lines coupling said high frequency terminals,

a DC potential isolating circuit which isolates said plurality of high frequency semiconductor switch sections from each other in a DC state, and

a plurality of DC potential transmission sections, each DC potential transmission section coupling a control side of an associated high frequency semiconductor switching section to at least one of an input side and an output side of another one of said plurality of high frequency semiconductor switch sections.

2. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of high frequency semiconductor switch sections comprises a field effect transistor having a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a source electrode, the drain electrode and source electrode being connected between a pair of said high frequency terminals,

said DC potential isolating circuit comprises a capacitive element,

said gate electrode comprises said control side of the high frequency semiconductor switch section, and

said drain and source electrodes comprise said input and output sides of the high frequency semiconductor switch section.

3. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 1, wherein:

each of said plurality of high frequency semiconductor switch sections comprises a plurality of field effect transistors, each field effect transistor having a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a source electrode, said field effect transistors being series-connected by the drain and source electrodes between a pair of said high frequency terminals,

said DC potential isolating circuit comprises a capacitive element,

said gate electrodes comprise said control sides of said high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and

said drain and source electrodes comprise said input and output sides of said high frequency semiconductor switch sections.

13. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 1, wherein each high frequency switch circuit is integrated in one semiconductor chip.

4. A high frequency switch circuit comprising:

first, second, and third high frequency terminals which input/output high frequency signals;

a first high frequency semiconductor switch section which is connected between said third high frequency terminal and said first high frequency terminal;

a second high frequency semiconductor switch section which is connected between said third high frequency terminal and said second high frequency terminal;

a first switching signal terminal which controls switching operation of said first high frequency semiconductor switch section;

a second switching signal terminal which controls switching operation of said second high frequency semiconductor switch section;

a DC potential isolating section which is connected between said third high frequency terminal and said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and isolates said first high frequency semiconductor switch section and said second high frequency semiconductor switch section in a DC state;

a first potential transmission section which is connected between said second switching signal terminal and said first high frequency terminal, and applies to said first high frequency terminal a DC potential applied to said second switching signal terminal; and

a second potential transmission section which is connected between said first switching signal terminal and said second high frequency terminal, and applies to said second high frequency terminal a DC potential applied to said first switching signal terminal.

6. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 4, wherein said DC potential isolating section comprises a capacitive element which is connected between said third high frequency terminal and one of said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections, or between said third high frequency terminal and the other of said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections.

7. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 4, wherein said DC potential isolating section comprises:

a first field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between said third high frequency terminal and one of said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections,

a second field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between said third high frequency terminal and the other of said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and

first and second resistance elements which are connected between gate electrodes of said first and second field effect transistors, respectively, and said switching signal terminal.

8. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 4, wherein said DC potential isolating section comprises:

a first field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between said third high frequency terminal and one of said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections,

a second field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between said third high frequency terminal and the other one of said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections,

first and second resistance element which are connected between gate electrodes of said first and second field effect transistors, respectively, and said switching signal terminal, and

third and fourth resistance elements, each of which is connected between the drain electrode and the source electrode of an associated one of said field effect transistors.

9. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 4, wherein each high frequency semiconductor switch section comprises a field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between said high frequency terminals connected/disconnected by said high frequency semiconductor switch section, a resistance element which is connected between a gate electrode of the field effect transistor and the associated switching signal terminal for controlling said high frequency semiconductor switch section, and a resistance element which is connected between the drain electrode and the source electrode of the field effect transistor.

10. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 4, wherein each high frequency semiconductor switch section comprises:

a plurality of field effect transistors, each transistor having a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a source electrode, said field effect transistors being series-connected by the drain and source electrodes between said high frequency terminals connected/disconnected by the high frequency semiconductor switch section,

a first plurality of resistance elements which are connected between gate electrodes of the field effect transistors and said switching signal terminals for controlling said high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and

a second plurality of resistance elements which are connected between the drain electrodes and the source electrodes of the field effect transistor.

11. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 4, wherein each potential transmission section comprises a resistance element.

12. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 4, wherein each potential transmission section comprises a resistance element and an inductor element which are series-connected.

5. A high frequency switch circuit comprising:

first, second, third, and fourth high frequency terminals which input/output high frequency signals;

a first high frequency semiconductor switch section which is connected between said first high frequency terminal and said second high frequency terminal;

a second high frequency semiconductor switch section which is connected between said second high frequency terminal and said third high frequency terminal;

a third high frequency semiconductor switch section which is connected between said third high frequency terminal and said fourth high frequency terminal;

a fourth high frequency semiconductor switch section which is connected between said fourth high frequency terminal and said first high frequency terminal;

a first switching signal terminal which controls switching operation of said first and third high frequency semiconductor switch sections;

a second switching signal terminal which controls switching operation of said second and fourth high frequency semiconductor switch sections;

a first DC potential isolating section which is connected between said first high frequency terminal and said fourth and first high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and isolates said fourth high frequency semiconductor switch section and said first high frequency semiconductor switch section in a DC state;

a second DC potential isolating section which is connected between said second high frequency terminal and said first and second high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and isolates said first high frequency semiconductor switch section and said second high frequency semiconductor switch section in the DC state;

a third DC potential isolating section which is connected between said third high frequency terminal and said second and third high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and isolates said second high frequency semiconductor switch section and said third high frequency semiconductor switch section in the DC state;

a fourth DC potential isolating section which is connected between said fourth high frequency terminal and said third and fourth high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and isolates said third high frequency semiconductor switch section and said fourth high frequency semiconductor switch section in the DC state;

a first potential transmission section which is connected between said second switching signal terminal and at least one of an input side and an output side of said first high frequency semiconductor switch section, and applies to said at least one of the input side and the output side a DC potential applied to said second switching signal terminal;

a second potential transmission section which is connected between said first switching signal terminal and at least one of an input side and an output side of said second high frequency semiconductor switch section, and applies to said at least one of the input side and the output side a DC potential applied to said first switching signal terminal;

a third potential transmission section which is connected between said second switching signal terminal and at least one of an input side and an output side of said third high frequency semiconductor switch section, and applies to said at least one of the input side and the output side a DC potential applied to said second switching signal terminal; and

a fourth potential transmission section which is connected between said first switching signal terminal and at least one of an input side and an output side of said fourth high frequency semiconductor switch section, and applies to said at least one of the input side and the output side a DC potential applied to said first switching signal terminal.

14. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 5, wherein each DC potential isolating section comprises a capacitive element which is connected between the associated high frequency terminal and one of the associated high frequency semiconductor switch sections, or between the associated high frequency terminal and the other one of the associated high frequency semiconductor switch sections.

15. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 5, wherein said DC potential isolating section comprises:

a first field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between the associated high frequency terminal and one of the associated high frequency semiconductor switch section sections,

a second field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between the associated high frequency terminal and the other of the associated high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and

first and second resistance elements which are connected between gate electrodes of said first and second field effect transistors, respectively, and said switching signal terminal.

16. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 5, wherein said DC potential isolating section comprises:

a first field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between the associated high frequency terminal and one of the associated high frequency semiconductor switch sections,

a second field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between the associated high frequency terminal and the other of the associated high frequency semiconductor switch sections,

first and second resistance element which are connected between gate electrodes of said first and second field effect transistors, respectively, and said switching signal terminal, and

third and fourth resistance elements, each of which is connected between the drain electrode and the source electrode of an associated one of said field effect transistors.

17. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 5, wherein each high frequency semiconductor switch section comprises a field effect transistor having a drain electrode and a source electrode which are connected between said high frequency terminals connected/disconnected by said high frequency semiconductor switch section, a resistance element which is connected between a gate electrode of the field effect transistor and the associated switching signal terminal for controlling said high frequency semiconductor switch section, and a resistance element which is connected between the drain electrode and the source electrode of the field effect transistor.

18. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 5, wherein each high frequency semiconductor switch section comprises:

a plurality of field effect transistors, each transistor having a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a source electrode, said field effect transistors being series-connected by the drain and source electrodes between said high frequency terminals connected/disconnected by said the high frequency semiconductor switch section,

a first plurality of resistance elements which are connected between gate electrodes of the field effect transistors and said switching signal terminals for controlling said high frequency semiconductor switch sections, and

a second plurality of resistance elements which are connected between the drain electrodes and the source electrodes.

19. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 5, wherein each potential transmission section comprises a resistance element.

20. A high frequency switch circuit according to claim 5, wherein each potential transmission section comprises a resistance element and an inductor element which are series connected.