BIAS voltage generation circuit for an SOI radio frequency switch
First Claim
1. A method of operating a semiconductor circuit comprising:
- providing a semiconductor circuit including;
a radio frequency (RF) switch including at least one field effect transistor located on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate;
a radio frequency (RF) signal line for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein said RF signal line is connected to said RF switch; and
a circuitry that generates, from said RF signal, at least one bias voltage having a time-dependent modulated magnitude that is proportional to a time-dependent magnitude of said RF signal, and changes over a time scale that is at least one order of magnitude greater than a period of said RF signal; and
supplying said at least one bias voltage to a bottom semiconductor layer underlying a buried insulator layer of said SOI substrate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A radio frequency (RF) switch located on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate includes at least one electrically biased region in a bottom semiconductor layer. The RF switch receives an RF signal from a power amplifier and transmits the RF signal to an antenna. The electrically biased region may be biased to eliminate or reduce accumulation region, to stabilize a depletion region, and/or to prevent formation of an inversion region in the bottom semiconductor layer, thereby reducing parasitic coupling and harmonic generation due to the RF signal. A voltage divider circuit and a rectifier circuit generate at least one bias voltage of which the magnitude varies with the magnitude of the RF signal. The at least one bias voltage is applied to the at least one electrically biased region to maintain proper biasing of the bottom semiconductor layer to minimize parasitic coupling, signal loss, and harmonic generation.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of operating a semiconductor circuit comprising:
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providing a semiconductor circuit including; a radio frequency (RF) switch including at least one field effect transistor located on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate; a radio frequency (RF) signal line for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein said RF signal line is connected to said RF switch; and a circuitry that generates, from said RF signal, at least one bias voltage having a time-dependent modulated magnitude that is proportional to a time-dependent magnitude of said RF signal, and changes over a time scale that is at least one order of magnitude greater than a period of said RF signal; and supplying said at least one bias voltage to a bottom semiconductor layer underlying a buried insulator layer of said SOI substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A semiconductor circuit comprising:
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a radio frequency (RF) switch including at least one field effect transistor located on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate; a radio frequency (RF) signal line for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein said RF signal line is connected to said RF switch; a voltage divider connected between said RF signal line and electrical ground; a rectification circuit connected to said voltage divider and generating, from said RF signal, at least one bias voltage having a time-dependent modulated magnitude that is proportional to a time-dependent magnitude of said RF signal, and changes over a time scale that is at least one order of magnitude greater than a period of said RF signal; and at least one bias voltage feed line providing said at least one bias voltage to a bottom semiconductor layer underlying a buried insulator layer of said SOI substrate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A machine readable medium embodying a design structure for designing, manufacturing, or testing a design for a semiconductor structure, said design structure comprising:
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a first data representing a radio frequency (RF) switch including at least one field effect transistor located on a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) substrate; a second data representing a radio frequency (RF) signal line for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal, wherein said RF signal line is connected to said RF switch; a third data representing a voltage divider connected between said RF signal line and electrical ground; a fourth data representing a rectification circuit connected to said voltage divider and generating, from said RF signal, at least one bias voltage having a time-dependent modulated magnitude that is proportional to a time-dependent magnitude of said RF signal, and changes over a time scale that is at least one order of magnitude greater than a period of said RF signal; and a fifth data representing at least one bias voltage feed line providing said at least one bias voltage to a bottom semiconductor layer underlying a buried insulator layer of said SOI substrate. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification