High frequency switching device

• US 4,929,855 A
• Filed: 12/09/1988
• Issued: 05/29/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grumman Aerospace Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Grumman Corp. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Ezzeddine, Amin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Stanley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cunningham, Terry
• Application Number:
  US07/281,764
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 307/571, 307/570, 307/254, 307/270, 330/269, 330/277, 330/296, 333/103, 333/104, 333/262
• US Class Current: 327/427
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/15 by semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 in field-effect transistor switches

Abstract

A high frequency switch includes at least two transistors connected in series. By connecting the transistors in series the power handling capability can be increased by a factor of N², where N is the number of transistors connected in series. The series is isolated by high impedance resistors and the transistors may be gallium arsenide field-effect transistors.

Claims

1. A high frequency switch comprising:

at least two field-effect transistors, each including a control electrode and two other electrodes, connected to each other in series between a high frequency electric signal source and reference potential means for providing a reference potential, said two other electrodes of said at least two field effect transistors forming the series connection between said transistors;

first means for biasing the control electrode of each of said transistors to cause components of an electric signal which exceed a threshold frequency to flow from said electric signal source to said reference potential means through a channel between said two other electrodes of each of said transistors, said first means having an impedance which is high compared to the internal impedances of said transistors; and

second means connected between each junction of said series connection of said at least two transistors and said reference potential means for establishing an impedance between each junction of said series connection and said reference potential which is high compared to the internal impedances of said transistors.

2. The high frequency switch of claim 1, wherein said electric signal has a frequency which is at least radio frequency.

3. The high frequency switch of claim 1, wherein said field-effect transistors are gallium arsenide field-effect transistors.

4. The high frequency switch of claims 2, or 3, wherein said electric signal source is a radio frequency transmission line.

5. The high frequency switch of claims 2, or 3, wherein said reference potential is at ground potential.

6. The high frequency switch of claim 1, wherein said control electrodes are the gates of said field-effect transistors.

7. The high frequency switch of claim 1, wherein the number of said at least two transistors is equal to N, and said second means includes at least N-1 resistors.

8. The high frequency switch of claim 7, wherein said series connection comprises connections between drains and sources of the respective field-effect transistors.

9. The high frequency switch of claim 1, wherein the power handling capability of said switch increases by a factor N² when N is the number of said at least two transistors connected in series.

10. A high frequency switch comprising:

at least two field-effect transistors, each including a control electrode and two other electrodes, connected to each other in series between a high frequency electric signal source and reference potential means for providing a reference potential, said two other electrodes of said at least two field effect transistors forming the series connection between said transistors;

first means for biasing the control electrode of each of said transistors to cause components of an electric signal which exceed a threshold frequency to flow from said electric signal source to said reference potential means through a channel between said two other electrodes of each of said transistors, said first means including a bias voltage source and a plurality of resistors, each resistor connected in series between said bias voltage source and the control electrode of a respective one of said transistors, and wherein said first means have an impedance which is high compared to the internal impedances of said transistors; and

second means connected between each junction of said series connection of said at least two transistors and said reference potential means for establishing an impedance between each junction of said series connection and said reference potential which is high compared to the internal impedances of said transistors.