Switch circuit and method of switching radio frequency signals

• US 7,460,852 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: pSemi Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Original Assignee: Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation (Murata Manufacturing Co Limited)
• Inventors: Burgener, Mark L., Cable, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US11/582,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20070120103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 455/26.1, 455/78, 455/333, 455/425, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/560, 257280-281, 257/341, 257/472
• US Class Current: 455/333
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 1/15 by semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/063 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/102 in field-effect transistor switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/6871 the output circuit comprising more than one controlled field-effect transistor
• 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 19/018521 of complementary type, e.g. CMOS
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0944 using MOSFET or insulated gate field-effect transistors, i.e. IGFETH03K19/096 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/0803 against radiation hardening
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/40 Circuits

Abstract

An RF switch circuit and method for switching RF signals that may be fabricated using common integrated circuit materials such as silicon, particularly using insulating substrate technologies. The RF switch includes switching and shunting transistor groupings to alternatively couple RF input signals to a common RF node, each controlled by a switching control voltage (SW) or its inverse (SW_), which are approximately symmetrical about ground. The transistor groupings each comprise one or more insulating gate FET transistors connected together in a “stacked” series channel configuration, which increases the breakdown voltage across the series connected transistors and improves RF switch compression. A fully integrated RF switch is described including control logic and a negative voltage generator with the RF switch elements. In one embodiment, the fully integrated RF switch includes an oscillator, a charge pump, CMOS logic circuitry, level-shifting and voltage divider circuits, and an RF buffer circuit.

Claims

1. An RF switch circuit for switching RF signals, comprising:

(a) a first input port receiving a first RF input signal;

(b) a second input port receiving a second RF input signal;

(c) an RF common port;

(d) a first switch transistor grouping comprising a plurality of FETs having channels series coupled in a stacked configuration, one end of the series-connected channels being a first node coupled to the first input port, the opposite end of the series-connected channels being a second node coupled to the RF common port, the first switch transistor grouping having a control node that is driven by a switch control signal (SW) and is coupled to a gate of each of the plurality of FETs of the grouping via a corresponding gate impedance;

(e) a second switch transistor grouping comprising a plurality of FETs having channels series coupled in a stacked configuration, one end of the series-connected channels being a first node coupled to the second input port, the opposite end of the series-connected channels being a second node coupled to the RF common port, the first switch transistor grouping having a control node that is driven by an inverse (SW_) of the switch control signal (SW) and is coupled to a gate of each of the plurality of FETs of the grouping via a corresponding gate impedance;

(f) a first shunt transistor grouping comprising one or more FETs arranged in a stacked configuration, one end of the series-connected channels being a first node coupled to the second input port, the opposite end of the series-connected channels being a second node coupled to ground, the first shunt transistor grouping having a control node that is driven by a switch control signal (SW) and is coupled to a gate of each of the one or more FETs of the grouping via a corresponding gate impedance; and

(g) a second shunt transistor grouping comprising one or more FETs arranged in a stacked configuration, one end of the series-connected channels being a first node coupled to the first input port, the opposite end of the series-connected channels being a second node coupled to ground, the first shunt transistor grouping having a control node that is driven by an inverse (SW_) of the switch control signal (SW) and is coupled to a gate of each of the one or more FETs of the grouping via a corresponding gate impedance;

(h) wherein the control signals SW and SW_have approximately equal magnitude but opposite polarity with respect to ground;

wherein, when SW is enabled, the first switch and shunt transistor groupings are enabled while the second switch and shunt transistor groupings are disabled, thereby passing the first RF input signal through to the RF common port and shunting the second RF input signal to ground; and

wherein when SW is disabled, the second switch and shunt transistor groupings are enabled while the first switch and shunt transistor groupings are disabled, thereby passing the second RF input signal through to the RF common port and shunting the first RF input signal to ground.

2. The RF switch circuit of claim 1, wherein each RF signal has a corresponding frequency F, each FET has a corresponding gate capacitance Cg, and the gate impedance of each FET in a stacked grouping of a plurality of FETs is a primarily resistive Rg and forms an RgCg product with the corresponding Cg of the FET to which it is connected, and RgCg is long compared to a period 1/F of the corresponding signal switched by the stacked FET grouping.

3. The RF switch circuit of claim 2, wherein the switch circuit is fabricated in a silicon-on-insulater (SOI) technology.

4. The RF switch circuit of claim 1, wherein the switch circuit is fabricated in a silicon-on-insulater (SOI) technology.

5. The RF switch circuit of claim 1, wherein the switch circuit is fabricated on an Ultra-Thin-Silicon (“

UTSi”

) substrate.

6. The RF switch circuit of claim 1, wherein the transistor groupings comprise MOSFET transistors formed in a thin silicon layer on a fully insulating sapphire wafer, and wherein the fully insulating sapphire wafer enhances performance characteristics of the RF switch by reducing substrate coupling effects.

7. The RF switch circuit of claim 1, wherein the stacked MOSFET transistors include gate nodes coupled to respective and associated gate resistors, and wherein the gate resistors are commonly controlled by a switching voltage.

8. The RF switch circuit of claim 7, wherein the gate resistors coupled to the transistor gate nodes of the first switch and shunt transistor groupings are commonly controlled by the switch control signal SW.

9. The RF switch circuit of claim 7, wherein the gate resistors coupled to the transistor gate nodes of the second switch and shunt transistor groupings are commonly controlled by the inverse switch control signal SW_.

10. The RF switch circuit of claim 7, wherein the MOSFET transistors have associated gate capacitance, wherein RC time constants associated with each MOSFET transistor within the transistor groupings are functions of the gate resistors and the associated gate capacitance, and wherein the RC time constant of each transistor far exceeds a period of the RF input signals thereby causing RF voltages to be shared equally across the MOSFET transistors.

11. The RF switch circuit of claim 1, wherein a breakdown voltage across the plurality of stacked MOSFET transistors of a selected transistor grouping is effectively increased to n times a breakdown voltage of an individual MOSFET transistor in the selected transistor grouping, wherein n comprises the total number of MOSFET transistors in the selected transistor grouping.

12. The RF switch circuit of claim 1, wherein the first and second RF input signals have associated input power levels, and wherein increased input power levels can be accommodated by the RF switch circuit by increasing the number of MOSFET transistors per transistor grouping.

13. A fully integrated RF switch circuit, comprising:

(a) the RF switch circuit as set forth in claim 1;

(b) a control logic block, coupled to the RF switch circuit, wherein the control logic block outputs the switch control signal (SW) and the inverse switch control signal (SW_); and

(c) a negative voltage generator, coupled to the control logic block, wherein the negative voltage generator receives a clocking input signal and a positive power supply voltage from an external power supply, and wherein the negative voltage generator outputs a negative power supply voltage.

14. The fully integrated RF switch circuit of claim 13, further including:

(a) an oscillator, wherein the oscillator outputs clocking input signals;

(b) a charge pump, coupled to the oscillator, wherein the oscillator inputs the clocking input signals, and wherein the charge pump outputs a negative power supply voltage;

(c) a logic circuit block, coupled to the charge pump, wherein the logic circuit block outputs control signals for use in controlling the switch and shunt transistor groupings;

(d) a level-shifting circuit, coupled to the logic circuit block and the RF switch circuit, wherein the level-shifting circuit reduces gate-to-drain, gate-to-source, and drain-to-source voltages of MOSFET transistors used to implement the transistor groupings; and

(e) an RF buffer circuit, coupled to the RF switch circuit, wherein the RF buffer circuit isolates RF signal energy from the charge pump and the logic circuit blocks.

15. The fully integrated RF switch circuit of claim 14, wherein the charge pump comprises:

(a) at least two P-channel MOSFET transistors;

(b) at least two N-channel MOSFET transistors, wherein each N-channel MOSFET transistor is coupled in series with a respective and associated P-channel MOSFET transistor thereby forming a respective leg of the charge pump;

(c) at least one coupling capacitor coupling each leg of the charge pump coupled to a successive leg; and

(d) an output capacitor, coupled to an output leg of the charge pump;

wherein the negative power supply voltage is generated by the charge pump by alternately charging and discharging the coupling and output capacitors using non-overlapping input clocking signals to drive the P-channel and N-channel MOSFET transistors.

16. The fully integrated RF switch circuit of claim 15, wherein the non-overlapping input clocking signals comprise two non-overlapping clock control signals, and wherein a first non-overlapping clock control signal controls the P-channel transistors, and wherein a second non-overlapping clock control signal controls the N-channel transistors.

17. The fully integrated RF switch circuit of claim 15, wherein the oscillator comprises a relaxation oscillator.

18. The fully integrated RF switch circuit of claim 14, wherein the RF buffer circuit comprises a two-stage circuit comprising a first-stage level-shifting circuit and a second stage RF buffer circuit, and wherein the second stage RF buffer circuit comprises a second plurality of differential inverters, wherein the second plurality of differential inverters each have a first differential input, a second differential input, a logic input and a logic output, wherein the second stage RF buffer circuit further comprises:

(a) a first RF buffer inverter group comprising three differential inverters, wherein the logic inputs of a first and second inverters of the first RF buffer inverter group are coupled to the first output signal (out) output by the level-shifting circuit, the logic output of the first inverter of the first RF buffer inverter group is coupled to a first differential input of an output inverter of the first RF buffer inverter group, the logic output of the second inverter of the first RF buffer inverter group is coupled to a second differential input of the output inverter of the first RF buffer inverter group, and wherein the output inverter of the first RF buffer inverter group outputs a first output signal (OUT); and

(b) a second RF buffer inverter group comprising three differential inverters, wherein the logic inputs of a first and second inverters of the second RF buffer inverter group are coupled to the second output signal (out_) output by the level-shifting circuit, the logic output of the first inverter of the second RF buffer inverter group is coupled to a first differential input of an output inverter of the second RF buffer inverter group, the logic output of the second inverter of the second RF buffer inverter group is coupled to a second differential input of the output inverter of the second RF buffer inverter group, and wherein the output inverter of the second RF buffer inverter group outputs a second output signal (OUT_).

19. The fully integrated RF switch circuit of claim 18, wherein the RF buffer circuit isolates digital logic signals from the RF switch circuit.

20. An RF switch circuit for switching RF signals, comprising:

a) a first RF port capable of outputting or receiving a first RF signal;

b) a second RF port capable of outputting or receiving a second RF signal;

c) a switch transistor grouping having a first node coupled to the first RF port and a second node coupled to the second RF port, wherein the switch transistor grouping is controlled by a first switch control signal (SW); and

d) a shunt transistor grouping having a first node coupled to the first RF port and a second node coupled to ground, wherein the shunt transistor grouping is controlled by a second switch control signal (SW_);

and wherein when the first switch control signal SW is enabled, the switch transistor grouping is enabled and the shunt transistor grouping is disabled thereby electrically coupling the first RF port to the second RF port, and wherein when the second switch control signal SW_is enabled, the shunt transistor grouping is enabled while the switch transistor grouping is disabled thereby shunting the first RF port to ground.

21. The RF switch of claim 20, wherein the switch transistor grouping comprises a single MOSFET, and wherein the shunt transistor grouping comprises a single MOSFET.

22. The RF switch of claim 20, wherein the switch transistor grouping comprises a plurality of MOSFETs arranged in a stacked configuration, and wherein the shunt transistor grouping comprises a plurality of MOSFETs arranged in a stacked configuration.

23. The RF switch of claim 20, wherein the switch transistor grouping comprises a first number of MOSFETs arranged in a stacked configuration, and wherein the shunt transistor grouping comprises a second number of MOSFETs arranged in a stacked configuration, and wherein the first number and the second number differ from one another.

24. An RF switch circuit for switching RF signals, comprising:

a) a first RF port capable of receiving or outputting a first RF signal (RF1);

b) a second RF port capable receiving or outputting a second RF signal (RF2);

c) an RF common port;

d) a first switch transistor grouping having a first node coupled to the first RF port and a second node coupled to the RF common port, wherein the first switch transistor grouping is controlled by a first switch control signal;

e) a second switch transistor grouping having a first node coupled to the second RF port and a second node coupled to the RF common port, wherein the second switch transistor grouping is controlled by a second switch control signal;

f) a first shunt transistor grouping having a first node coupled to the second RF port and a second node coupled to ground, wherein the first shunt transistor grouping is controlled by the first switch control signal; and

g) a second shunt transistor grouping having a first node coupled to the first RF port and a second node coupled to ground, wherein the second shunt transistor grouping is controlled by the second switch control signal;

wherein, when the first switch control signal is enabled, the first switch and first shunt transistor groupings are enabled while the second switch and shunt transistor groupings are disabled, thereby electrically coupling the first RF port with the RF common port and shunting the second RF port to ground, and wherein when the first switch control signal is disabled and the second switch control signal is enabled, the second switch and shunt transistor groupings are enabled while the first switch and shunt transistor groupings are disabled, thereby electrically coupling the second RF port with the RF common port and shunting the first RF port to ground.

25. The RF switch circuit of claim 24, wherein the RF switch comprises a single-pole, multi-throw switch.

26. The RF switch circuit of claim 24, wherein the RF switch comprises a multi-pole, single-throw switch.

27. The RF switch of claim 26, wherein the RF switch comprises a multi-pole, multi-throw switch.