RF power amplifier and method for packaging the same

• US 7,224,232 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silicon Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Paul, Susanne A., Pavelka, John Blake, Dupuis, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shingleton; Michael B
• Application Number:
  US10/983,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20050151591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 257/778, 257/159, 257/700, 257/204, 257/379, 257/516, 257/528, 257/904, 257/678, 438/108, 438/128, 438/129, 438/200, 438/210, 330/277, 330/264, 330/252, 330/307, 327/563, 323/272
• US Class Current: 330/307
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2223/6644 Packaging aspects of high-frequency amplifiers amplifiers per se H03F
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/0401 Bonding areas specifically adapted for bump connectors, e.g. under bump metallisation [UBM]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16 of an individual bump connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16227 the bump connector connecting to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16235 the bump connector connecting to a via metallisation of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/645 Inductive arrangements H01L23/647, H01L23/66 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/66 High-frequency adaptations
• 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 2924/13091 Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15192 Resurf arrangement of the internal vias
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/15311 being a ball array, e.g. BGA
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/3011 Impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 1/02 Modifications of amplifiers to raise the efficiency, e.g. gliding Class A stages, use of an auxiliary oscillation
• 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 2200/391 the output circuit of an amplifying stage comprising an LC-network
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 2200/451 the amplifier being a radio frequency amplifier
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/195 in integrated circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/211 using a combination of several amplifiers H03F3/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2171 with field-effect devices H03F3/2173 - H03F3/2178 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2173 of the bridge type
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/2176 : Class E amplifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/24 : of transmitter output stages
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/30 : Single-ended push-pull [SEPP] amplifiers single-ended sense amplifiers G11C7/067; Phase-splitters therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/45179 : using MOSFET transistors as the active amplifying circuit H03F3/45278 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03F 3/72 : Gated amplifiers, i.e. amplifiers which are rendered operative or inoperative by means of a control signal
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/04163 : in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6872 : using complementary field-effect transistors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 257/904 : with passive components,, e.g. polysilicon resistors

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for use in power amplifiers for reducing the peak voltage that transistors are subjected to. A power amplifier is provided with first and second switching devices and an inductor connected between the switching devices. The switching devices are driven such that the switching devices are turned on and off during the same time intervals.

Claims

1. An RF power amplifier suitable for transmitting signals in a mobile telephone system comprising:

a ceramic chip carrier having a top conductive layer, one or more middle conductive layers, and a bottom conductive layer, wherein and the bottom conductive layer is adapted to be mounted to a printed circuit board;

a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, the CMOS device having a plurality of connection points adapted to be mounted to the top conductive layer of the ceramic chip carrier, and wherein the CMOS device and the ceramic chip carrier are packaged together to form the RE power amplifier; and

a plurality of RE amplifier stages, each of the plurality of RE amplifier stages including one or more inductive elements formed in the chip carrier, one or more capacitive elements formed in the CMOS device, and one or more switching devices formed in the CMOS device.

2. The RE power amplifier of claim 1, further comprising an output matching network having one or more inductive elements formed in the chip carrier, and having one or more capacitive elements.

3. The RE power amplifier of claim 2, wherein the inductive elements in the output matching network include one or more transformers.

4. The RF power amplifier of claim 2, wherein the inductive elements from the output matching network are formed as vertical inductors having a loop oriented perpendicular to the layers of the ceramic chip carrier.

5. The RF power amplifier of claim 1, wherein the inductive elements from the RF amplifier stages are formed as vertical inductors having a loop oriented perpendicular to the layers of the ceramic chip carrier.

6. An RF power amplifier suitable for transmitting signals in a mobile telephone system comprising:

a chip carrier, the chip carrier having an upper surface, one or more conductive layers, and a bottom surface having a plurality of connection points adapted to be mounted to a circuit board;

a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device, the CMOS device having a plurality of connection points adapted to be mounted to the upper surface of the chip carrier, wherein the CMOS device and the chip carrier are packaged together to form the RF power amplifier; and

a plurality of tuned RF amplifier stages, each tuned RF amplifier stage further comprising one or more passive elements formed in the chip carrier and one or more active devices formed in the CMOS device.

7. The RF power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the chip carrier is adapted to be mounted to a printed circuit board by soldering the connection points to the printed circuit board.

8. The RF power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the one or more passive elements formed in the chip carrier include inductive elements.

9. The RF power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the one or more passive elements formed in the chip carrier include inductive a transformer.

10. The RF power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the one or more active elements formed in the CMOS device include switching devices.

11. The RF power amplifier of claim 6, further comprising a vertically formed inductor is formed on the chip carrier, wherein the vertically formed inductor has a loop oriented perpendicular to the layers of the chip carrier.

12. The RF power amplifier of claim 11, wherein the vertically formed inductor further comprises a first via extending into the chip carrier, a second via extending into the chip carrier, and a conductive strip connecting the first and second vias.

13. The RF power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the RF power amplifier is a GSM power amplifier.

14. The RF power amplifier of claim 6, wherein the chip carrier is a ceramic chip carrier.

15. A method of amplifying signals for a mobile telephone system comprising:

providing a chip carrier having an upper surface, one or more conductive layers, and a bottom surface;

forming a plurality of connection points on the bottom surface of the chip carrier adapted to be mounted to a circuit board;

providing a complimentary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) device;

forming a plurality of connection points on the CMOS device;

mounting the CMOS device to the upper surface of the chip carrier with the plurality of connection points on the CMOS device making electrical contact with the upper surface of the chip carrier; and

forming a plurality of tuned RF amplifier stages, wherein each tuned RF amplifier stage is formed using one or more passive elements formed in the chip carrier and one or more active devices formed in the CMOS device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the chip carrier is adapted to be mounted to a printed circuit board by soldering the connection points to the printed circuit board.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more passive elements formed in the chip carrier include inductive elements.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more passive elements formed in the chip carrier include a transformer.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more active elements formed in the CMOS device include switching devices.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the chip carrier is a ceramic chip carrier.