Feed-forward circuit to improve intermodulation distortion performance of radio-frequency switch

• US 10,147,724 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Skyworks Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Madan, Anuj, Altunkilic, Fikret, Blin, Guillaume Alexandre, Cebi, Haki
• Primary Examiner(s): SKIBINSKI, THOMAS S
• Application Number:
  US15/460,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20170187375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 628 Days
• Field of Search: 327534, 327535, 327537, 327384, 327427, 327434, 327437, 455 78
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48227 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/092 complementary MIS field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15192 Resurf arrangement of the internal vias
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 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: H03K 2217/0018 Special modifications or use of the back gate voltage of a FET

Abstract

A radio-frequency (RF) switch includes a field-effect transistor (FET) disposed between a first node and a second node, the FET having a source, a drain, a gate, and a body. The RF switch further includes a coupling circuit including a first path and a second path, the first path being connected between the gate and one of the source or the drain via a first resistor in series with a first capacitor, the second path being connected between the body and the one of the source or the drain via a second resistor in series with a second capacitor, the coupling circuit configured to allow discharge of interface charge from either or both of the gate and body.

Claims

1. A radio-frequency switch comprising:

a field-effect transistor disposed between a first node and a second node, the field-effect transistor having a source, a drain, a gate, and a body; and

a coupling circuit including a first path and a second path, the first path being connected between the gate and one of the source or the drain via a first resistor connected to the gate in series with a first capacitor, the second path being connected between the body and the one of the source or the drain via a second resistor connected to the body in series with a second capacitor, the coupling circuit configured to allow discharge of interface charge from either or both of the gate and body.

2. The switch of claim 1 wherein the field-effect transistor is a silicon-on-insulator field-effect transistor.

3. The switch of claim 1 wherein the coupling circuit includes a third path connected between the body and the gate, the third path including a diode.

4. The switch of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second paths is connected to the drain.

5. The switch of claim 1 further comprising a gate resistor connected to the gate and configured to float the gate.

6. The switch of claim 1 further comprising a body resistor connected to the body and configured to float the body.

7. The switch of claim 1 wherein the first node is configured to receive a radio-frequency signal having a power value and the second node is configured to output the radio-frequency signal when the field-effect transistor is in an ON state.

8. The switch of claim 7 further comprising N additional field-effect transistors connected in series with the field-effect transistor, the quantity N selected to allow the switch circuit to handle the power value of the radio-frequency signal.

9. A method for fabricating a semiconductor die, the method comprising:

providing a semiconductor substrate;

forming a field-effect transistor on the semiconductor substrate, the field-effect transistor having a source, a drain, a gate, and a body; and

forming a coupling circuit on the semiconductor substrate including first and second paths, the first path being connected between the gate and one of the source or the drain via a first resistor connected to the gate in series with a first capacitor, the second path being connected between the body and the one of the source or the drain via a second resistor connected to the body in series with a second capacitor, the coupling circuit configured to allow discharge of interface charge from either or both of the gate and body.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming an insulator layer between the field-effect transistor and the semiconductor substrate.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the coupling circuit includes a third path connected between the body and the gate, the third path including a diode.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein each of the first and second paths is connected to the drain.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising connecting a gate resistor to the gate to float the gate.

14. The method of claim 9 further comprising connecting a body resistor to the body to float the body.

15. A radio-frequency switch module comprising:

a packaging substrate configured to receive a plurality of components;

a semiconductor die mounted on the packaging substrate, the die including a field-effect transistor; and

a coupling circuit including first and second paths, the first path being connected between a gate of the field-effect transistor and one of a source or a drain of the field-effect transistor via a first resistor connected to the gate in series with a first capacitor, the second path being connected between a body of the field-effect transistor and the one of the source or the drain of the field-effect transistor via a second resistor connected to the body in series with a second capacitor, the coupling circuit configured to allow discharge of interface charge from either or both of the gate and body.

16. The switch module of claim 15 wherein the semiconductor die is a silicon-on-insulator die.

17. The switch module of claim 15 wherein the coupling circuit includes a third path connected between the body and the gate, the third path including a diode.

18. The switch module of claim 15 wherein the first and second paths are part of the same semiconductor die as the field-effect transistor.

19. The switch module of claim 15 wherein at least some of the first or second paths is part of a second die mounted on the packaging substrate.

20. The switch module of claim 15 wherein at least some of the first or second paths is disposed at a location outside of the semiconductor die.