RF power amplifier with PM feedback linearization

• US 9,294,046 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qorvo International Pte. Ltd. (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: RF Micro Devices Incorporated (Qorvo, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, Baker, Maxim, George, Leipold, Dirk Robert Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Choe, Henry
• Application Number:
  US14/216,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 330/107, 330/109, 330/307
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/28 Coils; Windings; Conductive connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 27/385 for reducing harmonics
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/22 by use of cascode coupling, i.e. earthed cathode or emitter stage followed by earthed grid or base stage respectively
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/32 Modifications of amplifiers to reduce non-linear distortion by negative feedback H03F1/34
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/3241 using predistortion circuits H03F1/3211, H03F1/3217 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/34 Negative-feedback-circuit arrangements with or without positive feedback H03F1/02 - H03F1/30, H03F1/38 - H03F1/50, H03F3/50 take precedence ; for rejection of common mode signals H03F3/45479
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/213 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/09 Filters comprising mutual inductance
• CPC Class Codes: H03H 7/1775 Parallel LC in shunt or branch path H03H7/1791 takes precedence

Abstract

Circuitry, which includes a package interface, an RF amplification circuit, and a closed-loop phase linearization circuit, is disclosed. The package interface receives an RF signal and provides an amplified RF signal. The RF amplification circuit amplifies the RF signal to generate the amplified RF signal, such that an intermediate RF signal is generated during amplification of the RF signal. The closed-loop phase linearization circuit endogenously establishes a target phase of the amplified RF signal using the RF signal. Further, the closed-loop phase linearization circuit applies a phase-shift to the intermediate RF signal based on a difference between the target phase and a measured phase, which is representative of a phase of the amplified RF signal, wherein the phase-shift reduces phase distortion in the amplified RF signal.

Claims

1. Circuitry comprising:

a package interface configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and provide an amplified RF signal;

an RF amplification circuit configured to amplify the RF signal to generate the amplified RF signal, such that an intermediate RF signal is generated during amplification of the RF signal; and

a closed-loop phase linearization circuit configured to;

endogenously establish a target phase of the amplified RF signal using the RF signal; and

apply a phase-shift to the intermediate RF signal based on a difference between the target phase and a measured phase, which is representative of a phase of the amplified RF signal, wherein the phase-shift reduces phase distortion in the amplified RF signal.

2. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the phase distortion in the RF amplification circuit is at least partially based on amplitude variations of the RF signal.

3. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein an overall phase response of the RF amplification circuit includes the phase distortion, a static phase response of the RF amplification circuit, and a phase-drift of the RF amplification circuit, such that a frequency of the phase-drift is less than about 100 hertz and a frequency of the phase distortion is greater than about 100 hertz.

4. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the closed-loop phase linearization circuit comprises a phase error detection circuit configured to:

receive a phase reference signal, which is based on the target phase;

receive a phase feedback signal, which is based on the measured phase; and

provide a phase error signal based on a phase difference between the phase reference signal and the phase feedback signal, such that the closed-loop phase linearization circuit is further configured to reduce the phase distortion based on the phase error signal.

5. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit is further configured to output the amplified RF signal from an output terminus, which is coupled to the package interface;

the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises a dynamic phase sensor directly coupled between the output terminus and the phase error detection circuit;

the dynamic phase sensor is configured to provide the phase feedback signal based on further detecting the phase distortion in the amplified RF signal; and

the dynamic phase sensor is further configured to be substantially unresponsive to both a static phase response of the RF amplification circuit and a phase-drift of the RF amplification circuit.

6. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit comprises a final RF amplifier stage, such that the amplified RF signal is based on the final RF amplifier stage;

the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises a final stage replica amplifier, which is configured to replicate an output current from the final RF amplifier stage to provide a feedback signal and at least partially reject voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) variations from the feedback signal;

the feedback signal is representative of the phase distortion; and

the phase feedback signal is based on the feedback signal.

7. The circuitry of claim 6 wherein the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises a harmonic filter and a dynamic phase sensor coupled in series between the final stage replica amplifier and the phase error detection circuit.

8. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises a harmonic filter and a dynamic phase sensor coupled in series between the RF amplification circuit and the phase error detection circuit, such that the phase feedback signal is further based on the harmonic filter and the dynamic phase sensor.

9. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises a harmonic filter and a delay matching circuit;

the harmonic filter is coupled between the RF amplification circuit and the phase error detection circuit;

the delay matching circuit is coupled between the RF amplification circuit and the phase error detection circuit;

a delay of the delay matching circuit is approximately equal to a delay of the harmonic filter;

the delay matching circuit is configured to provide the phase reference signal; and

the phase feedback signal is further based on the harmonic filter.

10. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit is further configured to receive the RF signal from an input terminus, which is coupled to the package interface;

the phase error detection circuit is directly coupled to the input terminus; and

the RF signal is the phase reference signal.

11. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit is further configured to receive the RF signal from an input terminus, which is coupled to the package interface;

the RF amplification circuit comprises an input match filter directly coupled to the input terminus;

the phase error detection circuit is directly coupled to the input match filter; and

the input match filter is configured to provide the phase reference signal.

12. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit comprises an input match filter and an initial RF amplifier stage;

the phase error detection circuit is directly coupled to a connection node between the input match filter and the initial RF amplifier stage; and

the connection node is configured to provide the phase reference signal.

13. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit comprises an initial RF amplifier stage;

the phase error detection circuit is directly coupled to an output from the initial RF amplifier stage; and

the output from the initial RF amplifier stage is configured to provide the phase reference signal.

14. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit is further configured to output the amplified RF signal from an output terminus, which is coupled to the package interface;

the RF amplification circuit is further configured to receive the RF signal from an input terminus, which is coupled to the package interface;

a first end of the phase error detection circuit is coupled to the RF amplification circuit toward the input terminus;

a second end of the phase error detection circuit is coupled to the RF amplification circuit toward the output terminus;

the first end of the phase error detection circuit is configured to receive the phase reference signal; and

the second end of the phase error detection circuit is configured to receive the phase feedback signal.

15. The circuitry of claim 14 wherein the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises an open loop input phase correction circuit coupled to the first end of the phase error detection circuit, such that the open loop input phase correction circuit is configured to further reduce the phase distortion in the RF amplification circuit.

16. The circuitry of claim 14 wherein the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises an open loop output phase correction circuit coupled to the second end of the phase error detection circuit, such that the open loop output phase correction circuit is configured to further reduce the phase distortion in the RF amplification circuit.

17. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit is further configured to output the amplified RF signal from an output terminus, which is coupled to the package interface;

the RF amplification circuit is further configured to receive the RF signal from an input terminus, which is coupled to the package interface;

the RF amplification circuit comprises a plurality of RF amplifier stages coupled in series between the input terminus and the output terminus;

the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises a plurality of phase control blocks, such that each of the plurality of phase control blocks is coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of RF amplifier stages; and

the plurality of phase control blocks is configured to reduce the phase distortion in the RF amplification circuit based on the phase error signal.

18. The circuitry of claim 17 wherein each of the plurality of phase control blocks comprises a plurality of varactor circuits, such that each of the plurality of varactor circuits is coupled in parallel with one another.

19. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein:

the RF amplification circuit comprises a plurality of RF amplifier stages coupled in series;

the closed-loop phase linearization circuit further comprises a phase control block, such that the phase control block is coupled to one of the plurality of RF amplifier stages; and

the phase control block is configured to reduce the phase distortion in the RF amplification circuit based on the phase error signal.

20. The circuitry of claim 4 wherein the phase error detection circuit comprises an RF mixer, such that the phase error signal is based on mixing the phase reference signal and the phase feedback signal.

21. The circuitry of claim 19 wherein the phase reference signal functions as a local oscillator signal.

22. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the closed-loop phase linearization circuit comprises a slow phase delay loop and a fast phase delay loop, wherein:

the slow phase delay loop is configured to receive a phase reference signal, which is based on the target phase;

the slow phase delay loop is further configured to receive a phase feedback signal, which is based on the measured phase;

the slow phase delay loop is further configured to provide a dynamic phase reference signal based on a phase difference between the phase reference signal and the phase feedback signal;

the fast phase delay loop is configured to receive the phase feedback signal and the dynamic phase reference signal;

the fast phase delay loop is further configured to provide at least one phase control signal based on a phase difference between the dynamic phase reference signal and the phase feedback signal, such that the fast phase delay loop is substantially unresponsive to both a static phase response of the RF amplification circuit and a phase-drift of the RF amplification circuit; and

the closed-loop phase linearization circuit is further configured to reduce the phase distortion based on the at least one phase control signal.

23. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein the closed-loop phase linearization circuit comprises a phase error detection and gain circuit configured to:

receive a phase reference signal, which is based on the target phase and the RF signal;

receive a phase feedback signal, which is based on the measured phase;

provide a phase error signal based on a phase difference between the phase reference signal and the phase feedback signal; and

adjust a magnitude of the phase error signal based on an amplitude of the phase reference signal, such that the closed-loop phase linearization circuit is further configured to reduce the phase distortion based on the phase error signal.

24. The circuitry of claim 1 wherein:

a plurality of intermediate RF signals is generated during amplification of the RF signal, such that the plurality of intermediate RF signals comprises the intermediate RF signal; and

the closed-loop phase linearization circuit is further configured to apply a phase-shift to each of the plurality of intermediate RF signals.

25. A method comprising:

using a package interface to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and provide an amplified RF signal;

amplifying the RF signal to generate the amplified RF signal using an RF amplification circuit, such that an intermediate RF signal is generated during amplification of the RF signal;

endogenously establishing a target phase of the amplified RF signal using the RF signal; and

applying a phase-shift to the intermediate RF signal based on a difference between the target phase and a measured phase, which is representative of a phase of the amplified RF signal, wherein the phase-shift reduces phase distortion in the amplified RF signal.