Power amplifier modules with bifet and harmonic termination and related systems, devices, and methods

• US 9,692,357 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2015
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Zhang, Guohao, Sun, Hsiang-Chih, Hoang, Dinhphuoc Vu, Zampardi, Jr., Peter J., Modi, Hardik Bhupendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khanh V
• Application Number:
  US14/686,666
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326183A1
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 330 66, 330277, 330300, 330302, 330307
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/485 Adaptation of interconnections, e.g. engineering charges, repair techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4853 Connection or disconnection of other leads to or from a metallisation, e.g. pins, wires, bumps
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/4864 Cleaning, e.g. removing of solder
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/565 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76898 formed through a semiconductor substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/78 with subsequent division of the substrate into plural individual devices cutting to change the surface-physical characteristics or shape of semiconductor bodies H01L21/304
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8249 Bipolar and MOS technology
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/8252 the substrate being a semiconductor, using III-V technology H01L21/8258 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 22/14 for electrical parameters, e.g. resistance, deep-levels, CV, diffusions by electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6611 Wire connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6616 Vertical connections, e.g. vias
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6644 Packaging aspects of high-frequency amplifiers amplifiers per se H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/665 Bias feed arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6655 Matching arrangements, e.g. arrangement of inductive and capacitive components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05155 Nickel [Ni] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05164 Palladium [Pd] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05554 being square
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05644 Gold [Au] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45015 being circular
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45139 Silver (Ag) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45144 : Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45147 : Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48177 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 : connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48465 : the other connecting portion not on the bonding area being a wedge bond, i.e. ball-to-wedge, regular stitch
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48611 : Tin (Sn) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48644 : Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48647 : Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48655 : Nickel (Ni) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48664 : Palladium (Pd) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48811 : Tin (Sn) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48816 : Lead (Pb) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48844 : Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48847 : Copper (Cu) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48855 : Nickel (Ni) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48864 : Palladium (Pd) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4903 : Connectors having different sizes, e.g. different diameters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49111 : the connectors connecting two common bonding areas, e.g. Litz or braid wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49176 : Wire connectors having the same loop shape and height
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85205 : Ultrasonic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85207 : Thermosonic bonding
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85411 : Tin (Sn) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85416 : Lead (Pb) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85444 : Gold (Au) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85455 : Nickel (Ni) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85464 : Palladium (Pd) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3114 : the device being a chip scale package, e.g. CSP
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/481 : Internal lead connections, e.g. via connections, feedthrough structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49811 : Additional leads joined to the metallisation on the insulating substrate, e.g. pins, bumps, wires, flat leads H01L23/49827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49827 : Via connections through the substrates, e.g. pins going through the substrate, coaxial cables H01L23/49822, H01L23/49833, H01L23/4985, H01L23/49861 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49838 : Geometry or layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49844 : for devices being provided for in H01L29/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49861 : Lead-frames fixed on or encapsulated in insulating substrates H01L23/4985, H01L23/49805 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49866 : characterised by the materials materials of the substrates H01L23/14, of the lead-frames H01L23/49579
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49894 : Materials of the insulating layers or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/50 : for integrated circuit devices, e.g. power bus, number of leadsH01L23/482 - H01L23/498 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/522 : including external interconnections consisting of a multilayer structure of conductive and insulating layers inseparably formed on the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/53252 : Additional layers associated with noble-metal layers, e.g. adhesion, barrier, cladding layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 : Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 : High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/48 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/49 : of a plurality of wire connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 : using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/97 : the devices being connected to a common substrate, e.g. interposer, said common substrate being separable into individual assemblies after connecting
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0605 : integrated circuits made of compound material, e.g. AIIIBV
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0623 : in combination with bipolar transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/092 : complementary MIS field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0684 : characterised by the shape, relative sizes or dispositions of the semiconductor regions or junctions between the regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0821 : Collector regions of bipolar transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/0826 : Pedestal collectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/1004 : Base region of bipolar transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/20 : including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only AIIIBV compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/205 : in different semiconductor regions , e.g. heterojunctions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/36 : characterised by the concentration or distribution of impurities in the bulk material within semiconductor regions H01L29/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66242 : Heterojunction transistors [HBT] with an active layer made of a group 13/15 material H01L29/66318
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66863 : Lateral single gate transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/737 : Hetero-junction transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/7371 : Vertical transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/812 : with a Schottky gate H01L29/7725, H01L29/775, H01L29/778, H01L29/806 take precedence; with Schottky contact on top of heterojunction gate H01L29/802
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/8605 : Resistors with PN junctions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00011 : Not relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10253 : Silicon [Si]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/10329 : Gallium arsenide [GaAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12033 : Gunn diode
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1305 : Bipolar Junction Transistor [BJT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13051 : Heterojunction bipolar transistor [HBT]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1306 : Field-effect transistor [FET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/13091 : Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/1421 : RF devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/14215 : Low-noise amplifier [LNA]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15747 : Copper [Cu] as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 : Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19105 : in a side-by-side arrangement on a common die mounting substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 : off-chip wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 : Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/30111 : matching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3025 : Electromagnetic shielding
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/0205 : in transistor amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/565 : using inductive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/387 : A circuit being added at the output of an amplifier to adapt the output impedance of the amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 : the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/48 : the output of the amplifier being coupled out by a capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/555 : A voltage generating circuit being realised for biasing different circuit elements
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/187 : in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/19 : with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 : in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/21 : with semiconductor devices only H03F3/245 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/213 : in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/245 : with semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/347 : in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45 : Differential amplifiers differential sense amplifiers G11C7/062
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/60 : Amplifiers in which coupling networks have distributed constants, e.g. with waveguide resonators H03F3/54 takes precedence

Abstract

One aspect of this disclosure is a power amplifier module that includes a power amplifier die including a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency (RF) signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) and a p-type field effect transistor (PFET), the PFET including a semiconductor segment that includes substantially the same material as a layer of a collector of the HBT, the semiconductor segment corresponding to a channel of the PFET; a load line electrically connected to an output of the power amplifier and configured to provide impedance matching at a fundamental frequency of the RF signal; and a harmonic termination circuit electrically connected to the output of the power amplifier and configured to terminate at a phase corresponding to a harmonic frequency of the RF signal. Other embodiments of the module are provided along with related methods and components thereof.

Claims

1. A power amplifier module comprising:

a power amplifier die including a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a p-type field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a collector, and the p-type field effect transistor including a semiconductor segment that includes substantially the same material as a layer of the collector of the heterojunction bipolar transistor, the semiconductor segment corresponding to a channel of the p-type field effect transistor;

a load line electrically connected to an output of the power amplifier and configured to provide impedance matching at a fundamental frequency of the radio frequency signal; and

a harmonic termination circuit electrically connected to the output of the power amplifier and configured to terminate at a phase corresponding to a harmonic frequency of the radio frequency signal.

2. The power amplifier module of claim 1 further comprising an n-type field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including an emitter stack, and the n-type field effect transistor including a second semiconductor segment that includes substantially the same material as a layer of the emitter stack, the second semiconductor segment corresponding to a channel of the n-type field effect transistor.

3. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the power amplifier die includes a gallium arsenide substrate, the heterojunction bipolar transistor and the p-type field effect transistor being disposed on the gallium arsenide substrate.

4. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the collector includes another semiconductor segment having a different conductivity type than the semiconductor segment.

5. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a base and an etch stop disposed between the collector and the base.

6. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the load line and the harmonic termination circuit have separate electrical connections to the power amplifier die.

7. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the harmonic termination circuit includes a capacitor external to the power amplifier die, the capacitor and the load line having separate electrical connections to the power amplifier die.

8. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the harmonic termination circuit includes a conductive trace external to the power amplifier die, the conductive trace and the load line having separate electrical connections to the power amplifier die.

9. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the load line and the harmonic termination circuit are electrically connected to different pins of the power amplifier die external to the power amplifier die.

10. The power amplifier module of claim 1 wherein the harmonic frequency of the radio frequency output signal is a second harmonic of the radio frequency output signal.

11. A power amplifier module comprising:

a power amplifier die including a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a collector, and the field effect transistor including a semiconductor segment that includes substantially the same material as a layer of the collector of the heterojunction bipolar transistor, the semiconductor segment corresponding to a channel of the field effect transistor;

a load line electrically connected to an output of the power amplifier and configured to provide impedance matching at a fundamental frequency of the radio frequency signal; and

a harmonic termination circuit electrically connected to the output of the power amplifier and configured to terminate at a phase corresponding to a harmonic frequency of the radio frequency signal, the load line and the harmonic termination circuit having separate electrical connections to the power amplifier die.

12. The power amplifier module of claim 11 further comprising a second field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including an emitter stack, and the second field effect transistor including a second semiconductor segment that includes substantially the same material as a layer of the emitter stack, the second semiconductor segment corresponding to a channel of the second field effect transistor.

13. The power amplifier module of claim 11 wherein the power amplifier die includes a gallium arsenide substrate, the heterojunction bipolar transistor and the field effect transistor being disposed on the gallium arsenide substrate.

14. A power amplifier module comprising:

a power amplifier die including a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor and a field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a collector that includes a first collector layer and a second collector layer, the first collector layer having a different conductivity type than the second collector layer, and the field effect transistor including a semiconductor segment that includes substantially the same material as the first collector layer, the semiconductor segment corresponding to a channel of the field effect transistor;

a load line electrically connected to an output of the power amplifier and configured to provide impedance matching at a fundamental frequency of the radio frequency signal; and

a harmonic termination circuit electrically connected to the output of the power amplifier and configured to terminate at a phase corresponding to a harmonic frequency of the radio frequency signal, the load line and the harmonic termination circuit having separate electrical connections to the power amplifier die.

15. The power amplifier module of claim 14 wherein the harmonic termination circuit includes a first capacitor external to the power amplifier die and the load line includes a second capacitor external to the power amplifier die, the first capacitor and the second capacitor being electrically connected to the power amplifier die by separate interconnects.

16. The power amplifier module of claim 14 wherein the heterojunction bipolar transistor includes a base and an etch stop disposed between the collector and the base.

17. The power amplifier module of claim 14 further comprising a second field effect transistor, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including an emitter stack, and the second field effect transistor including a second semiconductor segment that includes substantially the same material as a layer of the emitter stack, the second semiconductor segment corresponding to a channel of the second field effect transistor.

18. The power amplifier module of claim 14 wherein the semiconductor segment includes p-type gallium arsenide.

19. The power amplifier module of claim 14 wherein the harmonic termination circuit includes a first capacitor external to the power amplifier die and the load line includes a second capacitor external to the power amplifier die.

20. The power amplifier module of claim 14 wherein the load line and the harmonic termination circuit are electrically connected to different pins of the power amplifier die external to the power amplifier die.