Radio-frequency switches having frequency-tuned body bias

• US 9,543,941 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2013
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Cebi, Haki, Altunkilic, Fikret
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan, Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHENG, DIANA
• Application Number:
  US13/936,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,284 Days
• Field of Search: 327392-394, 327/397, 327/399, 327/401
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/161 in field-effect transistor switches
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/0408 with power amplifiers

Abstract

Radio-frequency (RF) switch circuits are disclosed providing improved switching performance. An RF switch system includes at least one field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between a first node and a second node, each FET having a respective gate and body. A resonance circuit connects the body of each of the at least one FET to a reference node. The resonance circuit may be configured to behave as an approximately closed circuit at low frequencies below a selected value and an approximately open circuit at an operating frequency, wherein the approximately closed circuit allows removal of surface charge from the body to the reference node.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency (RF) switch comprising:

at least one field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between a first node and a second node, each of the at least one FET having a respective gate and body; and

a resonance circuit that connects the body of each of the at least one FET to a reference node, the resonance circuit including an LC circuit having an inductance electrically parallel with a capacitance, the resonance circuit further including a body switch coupled to the LC circuit in series, the body switch coupled to a gate bias voltage via a resistance, the body switch disposed between the resonance circuit and the reference node, the resonance circuit configured to behave as an approximately closed circuit at low frequencies below a selected value and an approximately open circuit at an operating frequency, configured to provide a DC short for the body of the FET, and configured to provide a desired resonance frequency, the approximately closed circuit allowing removal of surface charge from the body to the reference node.

2. The RF switch of claim 1 wherein the FET is a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) FET.

3. The RF switch of claim 1 wherein the body switch is configured to connect or disconnect the body to or from the reference node.

4. The RF switch of claim 3 wherein the body switch includes a second FET.

5. The RF switch of claim 4 wherein the second FET is configured to be OFF when the at least one FET is ON to thereby float the body of the first FET.

6. The RF switch of claim 4 wherein the second FET is further configured to be ON when the at least one FET is OFF to facilitate the removal of surface charge from the body to the reference node.

7. The RF switch of claim 1 wherein the reference node includes a ground node.

8. The RF switch of claim 1 further comprising a gate bias circuit connected to and configured to provide a bias signal to a gate of the FET.

9. The RF switch of claim 1 wherein the first node is configured to receive an RF signal having a power value and the second node is configured to output the RF signal when the FET is in an ON state.

10. The RF switch of claim 9 wherein the at least one FET includes N FETs connected in series, the quantity N selected to allow the switch circuit to handle the power of the RF signal.

11. A method for operating a radio-frequency (RF) switch, the method comprising:

controlling at least one field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between first and second nodes so that each of the at least one FET is in an ON state or an OFF state; and

selectively removing surface charge from a respective body of each of the at least one FET at low frequencies below a selected value, the selective removal facilitated by a resonance circuit that behaves as an approximately closed circuit at the low frequencies, the resonance circuit configured to provide a DC short for the body of the FET and configured to provide a desired resonance frequency, the resonance circuit including an LC circuit having an inductance electrically parallel with a capacitance and further including a body switch coupled to the LC circuit in series, the body switch coupled to a gate bias voltage via a resistance, and the body switch disposed between the resonance circuit and the reference node.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the resonance circuit further behaves as an approximately open circuit at an operating frequency.

13. A radio-frequency (RF) switch module comprising:

a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components;

a semiconductor die mounted on the packaging substrate, the die including at least one field-effect transistor (FET); and

a resonance circuit that connects a respective body of each of the at least one FET to a reference node, the resonance circuit including an LC circuit having an inductance electrically parallel with a capacitance, the resonance circuit further including a body switch coupled to the LC circuit in series, the body switch coupled to a gate bias voltage via a resistance, the body switch disposed between the resonance circuit and the reference node, and the resonance circuit configured to behave as an approximately closed circuit at low frequencies below a selected value and as an approximately open circuit at an operating frequency, configured to provide a DC short for the body of the FET, and configured to provide a desired resonance frequency, the approximately closed circuit allowing removal of surface charge from the respective body to the reference node.

14. The switch module of claim 13 wherein the semiconductor die is a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) die.

15. The switch module of claim 13 wherein the resonance circuit is part of the same semiconductor die as the at least one FET.

16. The switch module of claim 13 wherein the resonance circuit is part of a second die mounted on the packaging substrate.

17. The switch module of claim 13 wherein the resonance circuit is disposed at a location outside of the semiconductor die.