Radio frequency switching circuit

• US 10,763,842 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2019
• Issued: 09/01/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2019
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (Hua Hong Semiconductor Limited)
• Original Assignee: Shanghai Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (Hua Hong Semiconductor Limited)
• Inventors: Dai, Ruofan
• Primary Examiner(s): Jager, Ryan
• Application Number:
  US16/428,269
• Publication Number:
  US 20200266812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 327434
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/063 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/0822 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/687 the devices being field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0018 Special modifications or use of the back gate voltage of a FET
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/0054 Gating switches, e.g. pass gates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

a radio frequency (RF) switching circuit, including: a conducting module, configured to conduct an RF signal; a gate control voltage generating module, configured to provide a gate control voltage for the conducting module to control the conducting module operating at ON-state or OFF-state; wherein the gate control voltage generating module further includes: a first resistance adaptive module, providing a first impedance in a first state for a series branch where the conducting module and the gate control voltage generation module locate, and a second impedance in a second state for the series branch where the conducting module and the gate control voltage generation module locate, wherein the first impedance is greater than the second impedance. FOM is improved comprehensively, and Ron, Coff, and a power breakdown performance are optimized, which further improves circuit performance and reduces cost.

Claims

1. A radio frequency (RF) switching circuit comprising:

a conducting module, configured to conduct an RF signal; and

a gate control voltage generating module, configured to provide a gate control voltage for the conducting module to control the conducting module operating at ON-state or OFF-state;

wherein the gate control voltage generating module further comprises;

a first resistance adaptive module, providing a first impedance in a first state for a series branch where the conducting module and the gate control voltage generation module locate, and a second impedance in a second state for the series branch where the conducting module and the gate control voltage generation module locate, wherein the first impedance is greater than the second impedance, the first resistance adaptive module is in the first state when the RF signal operated by the conducting module is a high power signal or the conducting module is turned on, and the first resistance adaptive module is in the second state when the conducting module does not operate the high power signal and the conducting module is turned off.

2. The RF switching circuit according to claim 1, wherein the gate control voltage generating module further comprises a first level shifter circuit and a first filter circuit, wherein the first level shifter circuit and the first filter circuit respectively are configured to perform a level shifting on the first control voltage and to filter the level shifted voltage.

3. The RF switching circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first resistance adaptive module comprises:

a first NOR gate, comprising a first input end, a second input end and an output end, wherein the first input end is configured to receive the first control voltage, the second input end is configured to receive a high power enable signal, and the output end is configured to output the resistance adaptive control signal;

a first adaptive switch, configured to receive the resistance adaptive control signal, wherein the first adaptive switch is configured to turn on when the resistance adaptive control signal is high, and turn off when the resistance adaptive control signal is low; and

a first common bias resistor, coupled in parallel with the first adaptive switch.

4. The RF switching circuit according to claim 1, wherein the first resistance adaptive module comprises:

a first NOR gate, comprising a first input end, a second input end and an output end, wherein the first input end is configured to receive the first control voltage, the second input end is configured to receive a high power enable signal, and the output end is configured to output a resistance adaptive control signal; and

a first NMOS transistor, comprising a gate, wherein the gate is configured to receive the resistance adaptive control signal.

5. The RF switching circuit according to claim 1 further comprising:

a body control voltage generating module, configured to provide a body control voltage for the conducting module to control the conducting module operating at ON-state or OFF-state;

wherein the body control voltage generating module comprises;

a second resistance adaptive module, in series with the conducting module to form a series branch, and providing a first impedance for the series branch in the first state and a second impedance for the series branch in the second state, wherein the first impedance is greater than the second impedance, the second resistance adaptive module is in the first state when the RF signal operated by the conducting module is a high power signal or the conducting module is turned on, and the second resistance adaptive module is in the second state when the conducting module does not operate the high power signal and the conducting module is turned off.

6. The RF switching circuit according to claim 5, wherein the body control voltage generating module further comprises a second level shifter circuit and a second filter circuit, wherein the second level shifter circuit and the second filter circuit are respectively configured to perform a level shifting on the second control voltage and to filter the level shifted voltage.

7. The RF switching circuit according to claim 5, wherein the second resistance adaptive module comprises:

a second NOR gate, comprising a first input end, a second input end and an output end, wherein the first input end is configured to receive a second control voltage, the second input end is configured to receive a high power enable signal, and the output end is configured to output the resistance adaptive control signal;

a second adaptive switch, configured to receive the resistance adaptive control signal, wherein the second adaptive switch turns on when the resistance adaptive control signal is high, and turns off when the resistance adaptive control signal is low; and

a second common bias resistor, coupled in parallel with the second adaptive switch.

8. The RF switching circuit according to claim 5, wherein the second resistance adaptive module comprises:

a second NOR gate, comprising a first input end, a second input end and an output end, wherein the first input end is configured to receive the second control voltage, the second input end is configured to receive a high power enable signal, and the output end is configured to output a resistance adaptive control signal; and

a second NMOS transistor, comprising a gate, wherein the gate is configured to receive the resistance adaptive control signal.

9. The RF switching circuit according to claim 5, wherein the conducting module comprises a multi-stage of stack cascaded conducting units, and each conducting unit comprises a transistor.

10. The RF switching circuit according to claim 9, wherein the conducting unit comprises:

a switching NMOS transistor, comprising a drain and a source, wherein the drain is configured to receive an RF input signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module, and the source is configured to output an RF output signal or coupled with a drain of the switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

or the source is configured to receive the RF input signal or coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module, and the drain is configured to output the RF output signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

a path resistance, comprising one end coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor, and the other end coupled with the source of the switching NMOS transistor;

a gate bias resistor, comprising one end coupled with the gate control voltage generating module and the other end coupled with a gate of the switching NMOS transistor; and

a body bias resistor, comprising one end coupled with the body control voltage generating module and the other end coupled with a substrate of the switching NMOS transistor.

11. The RF switching circuit according to claim 9, wherein the conducting unit comprises:

a switching NMOS transistor, comprising a drain and a source, wherein the drain is configured to receive an RF input signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in other conducting units in the conducting module, and the source outputs an RF output signal or coupled with a drain of the switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

or the source is configured to receive the RF input signal or coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor in other conducting units in the conducting module, and the drain is configured to output the RF output signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

a path resistance, comprising one end coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor, and the other end coupled with the source of the switching NMOS transistor;

a gate bias resistor, comprising one end coupled with the gate control voltage generating module and the other end coupled with a gate of the switching NMOS transistor; and

a body bias diode, comprising a positive electrode coupled with a substrate of the switching NMOS transistor and a negative electrode coupled with the gate of the switching NMOS transistor.

12. The RF switching circuit according to claim 1, wherein the conducting module comprises a multi-stage of stack cascaded conducting units, and each conducting unit comprises a transistor.

13. The RF switching circuit according to claim 12, wherein the conducting unit comprises:

a switching NMOS transistor, comprising a drain and a source, wherein the drain is configured to receive an RF input signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module, and the source is configured to output an RF output signal or coupled with a drain of the switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

or

the source is configured to receive the RF input signal or coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module, and the drain is configured to output the RF output signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

a path resistance, comprising one end coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor, and the other end coupled with the source of the switching NMOS transistor;

a gate bias resistor, comprising one end coupled with the gate control voltage generating module and the other end coupled with a gate of the switching NMOS transistor; and

a body bias resistor, comprising one end coupled with the body control voltage generating module and the other end coupled with a substrate of the switching NMOS transistor.

14. The RF switching circuit according to claim 12, wherein the conducting unit comprises:

a switching NMOS transistor, comprising a drain and a source, wherein the drain is configured to receive an RF input signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in other conducting units in the conducting module, and the source outputs an RF output signal or coupled with a drain of the switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

or the source is configured to receive the RF input signal or coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor in other conducting units in the conducting module, and the drain is configured to output the RF output signal or coupled with a source of a switching NMOS transistor in another conducting unit in the conducting module;

a path resistance, comprising one end coupled with the drain of the switching NMOS transistor, and the other end coupled with the source of the switching NMOS transistor;

a gate bias resistor, comprising one end coupled with the gate control voltage generating module and the other end coupled with a gate of the switching NMOS transistor; and

a body bias diode, comprising a positive electrode coupled with a substrate of the switching NMOS transistor and a negative electrode coupled with the gate of the switching NMOS transistor.