Wideband RF amplifiers
First Claim
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1. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
- a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; and
a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground;
wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground, wherein the stacked amplifying modules employ DC feedback to establish a stable DC operating point, resulting in the proportional division of the first DC voltage across the stacked amplifying modules.
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Abstract
A device for amplifying signals over a wide frequency range features stacked amplifying modules connected between a DC voltage source and an electrical ground. The stacking configuration reuses the DC current produced the voltage source, and thus reduces the amount of operational DC current permitting the use of lower voltage, higher frequency devices to be used. The amplifying modules are fed signals which are different versions of an input signal, and the output signals are AC coupled using capacitors to balance out gain imbalances and asymmetries between the amplifying modules.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
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a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; and a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground, wherein the stacked amplifying modules employ DC feedback to establish a stable DC operating point, resulting in the proportional division of the first DC voltage across the stacked amplifying modules.
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2. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
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a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground, wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; and an input differential amplifier for receiving the input signal and generating multiple signals including the first signal and the second signal, wherein the first signal and the second signal have 180 degree phase difference. - View Dependent Claims (4, 6, 8, 9, 17, 18)
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3. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
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a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground, wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; and a splitter for receiving the input signal and splitting the input signal into multiple signals including the first signal and the second signal, the first signal comprising voltage values of the input signal exceeding a predetermined voltage value, and the second signal comprising voltage values of the input signal falling below the predetermined voltage value.
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5. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
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a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; and a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; wherein at least one of the first amplifying module or the second amplifying module comprises an inverter amplifier, wherein the inverter amplifier comprises one or more 0.25 micron transistors.
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7. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
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a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; and a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; wherein at least one of the first amplifying module or the second amplifying module comprises an inverter amplifier, wherein the inverter amplifier comprises an electrically isolated transistor, wherein the electrically isolated transistor comprises a deep N-well or triple well transistor.
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10. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
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a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; a third amplifying module for amplifying the second signal to produce a third amplified signal, the third amplifying module being directly connected to a second DC voltage source; a fourth amplifying module for amplifying the first signal to produce a fourth amplified signal, the fourth amplifying module being directly connected to the electrical ground, wherein the third and fourth amplifying modules are stacked between the second DC voltage source and the electrical ground; a first combiner for combining the first amplified signal and the fourth amplified signal to produce a first output signal; and a second combiner for combining the second amplified signal and the third amplified signal to produce a second output signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 27)
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15. An electronic device for amplifying an input signal, the device comprising:
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a first amplifying module for amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; and a second amplifying module for amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; wherein at least one of the first amplifying module or the second amplifying module comprises a self-bias circuit.
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19. A method of amplifying an input signal, the method comprising:
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amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal using a first amplifying module, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal using a second amplifying module, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; and receiving the input signal and generating multiple signals including the first signal and the second signal, wherein the first signal and the second signal have 180 degree phase difference. - View Dependent Claims (21, 25)
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20. A method of amplifying an input signal, the method comprising:
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amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal using a first amplifying module, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal using a second amplifying module, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; and splitting the input signal into multiple signals including the first signal and the second signal, the first signal comprising voltage values of the input signal exceeding a predetermined voltage value, and the second signal comprising voltage values of the input signal falling below the predetermined voltage value.
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22. A method of amplifying an input signal, the method comprising:
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amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal using a first amplifying module, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal using a second amplifying module, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; amplifying the second signal to produce a third amplified signal using a third amplifying module, the third amplifying module being directly connected to a second DC voltage source; amplifying the first signal to produce a fourth amplified signal using a fourth amplifying module, the fourth amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground, wherein the third and fourth amplifying modules are stacked between the second DC voltage source and the electrical ground; combining the first amplified signal and the fourth amplified signal to produce a first output signal; and combining the second amplified signal and the third amplified signal to produce a second output signal.
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23. A method of amplifying an input signal, the method comprising:
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amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal using a first amplifying module, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal using a second amplifying module, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; and stabilizing at least one of the first amplifying module or the second amplifying module using a self-bias circuit. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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26. A method of amplifying an input signal, the method comprising:
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amplifying a first signal to produce a first amplified signal using a first amplifying module, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; amplifying a second signal to produce a second amplified signal using a second amplifying module, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; and utilizing DC feedback to establish a stable DC operating point across the stacked amplifying modules, resulting in the proportional division of the first DC voltage across the stacked amplifying modules.
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28. An apparatus for amplifying an input signal, the apparatus comprising:
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a first amplifying module configured to amplify a first signal to generate a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first voltage reference; a second amplifying module configured to amplify a second signal to generate a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to a second voltage reference, wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first voltage reference and the second voltage reference; and an input differential amplifier configured to receive the input signal and to generate multiple signals including the first signal and the second signal, wherein the first signal and the second signal have 180 degree phase difference.
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29. An apparatus for amplifying an input signal, the apparatus comprising:
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a first amplifying module configured to amplify a first signal to generate a first amplified signal, the first amplifying module being directly connected to a first DC voltage source; a second amplifying module configured to amplify a second signal to generate a second amplified signal, the second amplifying module being directly connected to an electrical ground; wherein the first and second amplifying modules are stacked between the first DC voltage source and the electrical ground; a third amplifying module configured to amplify the second signal to generate a third amplified signal, the third amplifying module being directly connected to a second DC voltage source; a fourth amplifying module configured to amplify the first signal to generate a fourth amplified signal, the fourth amplifying module being directly connected to the electrical ground, wherein the third and fourth amplifying modules are stacked between the second DC voltage source and the electrical ground; a first combiner configured to combine the first amplified signal and the fourth amplified signal to generate a first output signal; and a second combiner configured to combine the second amplified signal and the third amplified signal to generate a second output signal. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification