Switching system

• US 20040061578A1
• Filed: 09/30/2002
• Published: 04/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies Wireless IP Singapore Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Vice, Michael Wendell
• Granted Patent: US 6,900,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 333/262
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/15 by semiconductor devices

Abstract

A switching system includes a first transistor having a first gate and coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal and a second transistor having a second gate and coupled between the second terminal and a third terminal. The first transistor and the second transistor are configured to conduct a signal current between the first terminal and the third terminal. An impedance component coupled to the first gate and the second gate is configured to isolate a first gate signal voltage at the first gate or isolate a second gate signal voltage at the second gate to reduce a distortion of the signal current.

Claims

1. A switching system, comprising:

a first transistor having a first gate and coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal;

a second transistor having a second gate and coupled between the second terminal and a third terminal, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are configured to conduct a signal current between the first terminal and the third terminal; and

an impedance component coupled to the first gate and the second gate configured to isolate a first gate signal voltage at the first gate or isolate a second gate signal voltage at the second gate to reduce a distortion of the signal current.

2. The switching system of claim 1, wherein the impedance component comprises:

a first resistor coupled between the first gate and a fourth terminal, wherein the first resistor is configured to apply a bias voltage to the first gate; and

a second resistor coupled between the second gate and the fourth terminal, wherein the second resistor is configured to apply the bias voltage to the second gate, wherein the bias voltage is sufficient, relative to the second terminal, to switch the first transistor and the second transistor from a non-conductive state to a conductive state.

3. The switching system of claim 2, wherein a ratio of a resistance of the first resistor to an impedance between the first gate and the first terminal or the second terminal is greater than one.

4. The switching system of claim 3, wherein the ratio is sufficient to enable the first gate signal voltage to have a value which is approximately midway between a first terminal voltage and a second terminal voltage.

5. The switching system of claim 4, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have substantially matched electrical characteristics and the first resistor and the second resistor have substantially a same value so that a difference between the first terminal voltage and the second terminal voltage is substantially the same and opposite in polarity to a difference between a third terminal voltage and the second terminal voltage.

6. The switching system of claim 2, wherein the first gate signal voltage and the second gate signal voltage are not equal.

7. The switching system of claim 1, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor are field effect transistors.

8. The switching system of claim 7, wherein the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor are metal-oxide semiconductor transistors.

9. The switching system of claim 7, wherein the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor are gallium arsenide metal-semiconductor field effect transistors.

10. The switching system of claim 7, wherein the first field effect transistor and the second field effect transistor are enhancement-mode pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistors.

11. The switching system of claim 1, wherein the signal current is a radio frequency signal current and the first gate signal voltage is a radio frequency signal voltage.

12. The switching system of claim 1, wherein the impedance component comprises:

a third transistor coupled between the first gate and a fourth terminal, wherein the third transistor is configured to apply a bias voltage to the first gate; and

a fourth transistor coupled between the second gate and the fourth terminal, wherein the fourth transistor is configured to apply the bias voltage to the second gate, wherein the bias voltage is sufficient, relative to the second terminal, to switch the first transistor and the second transistor from a non-conductive state to a conductive state.

13. The switching system of claim 12, wherein the third transistor and the fourth transistor have substantially matched electrical characteristics.

14. The switching system of claim 1, wherein the first transistor and the second transistor have symmetrical nonlinear resistance to reduce the distortion of the signal current.

15. A switching device comprising:

first and second field effect transistors having substantially matched electrical characteristics, wherein each field effect transistor has a gate, a drain and a source; and

first and second impedance components having substantially same values, wherein the first and second impedance components are coupled to the gates of the first and second field effect transistors and are configured to control a signal current conducted through the first and second field effect transistors by enabling the gate of the first field effect transistor to float to a voltage that is between a drain voltage and a source voltage of the first field effect transistor and by enabling the gate of the second field effect transistor to float to a voltage that is between a drain voltage and a source voltage of the second field effect transistor.

16. The switching device of claim 15, wherein the first and second impedance components comprise:

a first resistor coupled to the gate of the first field effect transistor, wherein the first resistor is configured to apply a bias voltage to the gate of the first field effect transistor, and

a second resistor coupled to the gate of the second field effect transistor, wherein the second resistor is configured to apply the bias voltage to the gate of the second field effect transistor, and wherein the bias voltage is sufficient to switch the first and second field effect transistors from a non-conductive state to a conductive state.

17. The switching device of claim 15, wherein the first and second impedance components comprise:

a third field effect transistor coupled to the gate of the first field effect transistor, wherein the third field effect transistor is configured to apply a bias voltage to the gate of the first field effect transistor, and

a fourth field effect transistor coupled to the gate of the second field effect transistor, wherein the fourth field effect transistor is configured to apply the bias voltage to the gate of the second field effect transistor, wherein the bias voltage is sufficient to switch the first and second field effect transistors from a non-conductive state to a conductive state.

18. A method of controlling a signal current in a switching device, comprising:

providing a first transistor having a first gate and coupled between a first terminal and a second terminal;

providing a second transistor having a second gate and coupled between the second terminal and a third terminal;

conducting a signal current between the first terminal and the third terminal; and

isolating a first gate signal voltage at the first gate or a second gate signal voltage at the second gate to reduce a distortion of the signal current.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising applying an impedance between a fourth terminal and the first gate which is sufficient to enable the first gate signal voltage to have a value which is approximately midway between a first terminal voltage and a second terminal voltage.

20. The method of claim 18, comprising applying an impedance between a fourth terminal and the second gate which is sufficient to enable the second gate signal voltage to have a value which is approximately midway between a second terminal voltage and a third terminal voltage.