High frequency power amplifier

• US 7,733,187 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Collabo Innovations, Inc. (Wi-LAN Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Inamori, Masahiko, Tateoka, Kazuki, Koizumi, Haruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hieu P
• Application Number:
  US11/870,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20080088376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 330/302, 330/307, 330/277, 330/286
• US Class Current: 330/302
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/56 Modifications of input or output impedances, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/318 A matching circuit being used as coupling element between two amplifying stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/191 Tuned amplifiers H03F3/193, H03F3/195 take precedence

Abstract

A small, high performance high frequency power amplifier enables easily adjusting and switching the impedance. The high frequency power amplifier module includes a first semiconductor chip including one or a plurality of high frequency amplification devices, and a second semiconductor chip including one or more high frequency matching circuit devices and one or more switching devices. The second semiconductor chip includes the matching circuit for a high frequency amplifier device. The second semiconductor chip also includes a circuit composed of a capacitance and a switching device connected in series or parallel to the capacitance. The switching device switches on or off so that the capacitance is connected or is not connected as a part of the matching circuit.

Claims

1. A high frequency power amplifier comprising:

a first semiconductor chip including a main amplification stage having a first high frequency amplification device; and

a second semiconductor chip including a main matching stage having a first switching device;

wherein the main amplification stage has a first output pin operable to output a first signal amplified by the first high frequency amplification device; and

the main matching stage has a first input pin operable to receive the first signal, and

a first high frequency matching circuit device operable to match the first signal; and

the first switching device is any one of a field effect transistor and a heterojunction field effect transistor.

2. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein said first semiconductor chip and said second semiconductor chip are rendered in unison.

3. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate on which said first semiconductor chip and said second semiconductor chip are mounted; and

a high frequency circuit device including a microstrip line formed on the substrate.

4. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, further comprising:

a substrate on which said first semiconductor chip and said second semiconductor chip are mounted; and

a passive device mounted on the substrate.

5. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein:

said second semiconductor chip includes a capacitance; and

the first switching device is connected to the capacitance.

6. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein:

said second semiconductor chip includes an inductor; and

the first switching device is connected to the inductor.

7. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein the first switching device operates as a capacitance when in the off state.

8. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein said second semiconductor chip includes a logic circuit.

9. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein said second semiconductor chip includes a capacitance of 10 pF or greater.

10. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second semiconductor chips has a via hole connecting the front and back sides of the semiconductor chip.

11. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein the first high frequency amplification device is a heterojunction bipolar transistor.

12. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein said second semiconductor chip includes at least a part of a supply circuit operable to supply a current or voltage signal supplied to the first high frequency amplification device.

13. The high frequency power amplifier described in claim 1, wherein said first semiconductor chip includes a capacitance connected on one side to the first output pin and on the other side to ground.