Amplifiers – With semiconductor amplifying device – Including distributed parameter-type coupling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-07
2001-03-27
Pascal, Robert (Department: 2817)
Amplifiers
With semiconductor amplifying device
Including distributed parameter-type coupling
C330S295000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06208210
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to radio frequency (RF) transmission devices, and more specifically to designs for a hybrid power devices, such as amplifiers, adapted for use in RF devices, and to a method of arranging die on a hybrid power device flange.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hybrid power devices are used in many electronic designs. For example, radio frequency communications devices, such as cellular telecommunications devices, use hybrid power devices such as hybrid power amplifiers. As cellular telecommunications devices offer users a wider array of features, more circuitry is needed to implement these features, and thus a demand for more powerful hybrid amplifiers has arisen. For example, in 1997 radio frequency devices typically employed a hybrid amplifier that provided from 10 to 30 Watts of power. However, by the end of 1998, engineers were designing devices that were demanding hybrid power amplifiers which could provide power in the range of 80-120 Watts of power, and it was apparent that even more powerful amplifiers would be required in the near future to accommodate even more telecommunications features.
Power amplification in a hybrid power amplifier is accomplished through the use of hybrid transistors that are also called cells. The power output of a single cell is limited, and so to increase the power output of a hybrid power amplifier, more cells must be used in a device. The clustering or grouping of cells into a concentrated area forms what is called a die. A die may consist of any number of cells (a grouping of, for example, 28 cells is common), and groupings of cells are generally made to achieve a discrete and predictable amount of power amplification (gain).
Typically, a die is arranged in a modular unit that includes the necessary mechanical and electrical connections that link the cells to appropriate points on a hybrid power amplifier, as well as to various devices that adjust an input and an output impedance. The various devices which adjust the input and output impedance include capacitors, resistors, and connections such as wire bonds, that are chosen, in part, for their impedance. The modular unit that includes the combination of the die, it's connections, and the various devices is called a “die block.” Like cells, die blocks may be grouped together (effectively increasing the number of cells) on a flange to increase the power output of a hybrid power amplifier.
FIG. 1
(prior art) illustrates a common die block
30
. Generally, the die block
30
receives an input signal on input connection
32
, passes the input signal from the input connection
32
through die a
38
, where the input signal is processed, so that an amplified output signal may be carried from the die block
30
on output connection
33
.
More specifically, input connection
32
is a conductor which is electrically connected to a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) CAP
34
that is in turn electrically linked to a plurality of conductors called wire bonds
36
that are coupled to, and carry the input signal to, the die
38
. Both the MOS CAP
34
and the wire bonds
36
bias the input impedance to match the input impedance of the die
38
. The die
38
is in turn coupled to conductors called output wire bonds
37
that are connected to an output MOS CAP
35
which then is linked to the output connection
33
. As was the case on the input side of the die block, the output wire bonds
37
and the output MOS CAP
35
are used to adjust the output impedance of the die block
30
.
Accordingly, in operation, an input signal arrives to the die block
30
at input connection
32
. The input signal travels through input connection
32
to the MOS CAP
34
that bridges the input signal to the wire bonds
36
(which function as a bias circuit by adjusting the input impedance of the circuit). Next, the input signal is then passed through the wire bonds
36
to the die
38
. In the die
38
the input signal causes the die to produce an output signal which is equal to the input signal multiplied by a predetermined gain. The output signal (power output) is generated in the output wire bonds
37
, and the output wire bonds
37
carry the output signal to output MOS CAP
35
. Like the MOS CAP
34
, the output MOS CAP
35
adjusts the output impedance of the die block
30
to more closely match the output impedance of the circuit (not shown) to which the die block
30
is connected. From the MOS CAP
35
, the output signal travels off the die block
30
on the output connection
33
.
FIG. 2
(prior art) illustrates a hybrid power amplifier built on a flange
10
having two die blocks
30
mounted thereon. The flange
10
has mountings
12
or other means for connecting the flange
10
to its parent RF device (not shown), which may be, for example, a cellular telephone. The flange
10
supports a substrate
15
on which various structures are disposed. For example, the flange
10
may support a bias circuit
20
comprising various resistors, capacitors and other electrical devices used to adjust the input and output impedance of the hybrid power amplifier to match the input and output impedance of the circuit to which the hybrid power amplifier is attached. The bias circuit
20
may be placed on or off the flange
10
, and is illustrated in
FIG. 2
as being on the flange
10
(the bias circuit
20
is represented generally as a dashed block
20
to emphasize that it may be placed on or off the flange
10
). In addition, the flange
10
supports die blocks
30
(each die block
30
is shown here as a rectangle, with a dark line representing the general orientation of the die
38
in a die block
30
). The flange
10
also supports additional structures, such as input/output conductors called an input pin
40
and an output pin
41
, and conductors called an input transmission line
42
and an output transmission line
43
. The input pin
40
and input transmission line are electrically linked. Likewise, the output pin
41
and the output transmission line
43
are also electrically coupled. The input transmission line
42
, and output transmission line
43
, are also coupled to the die blocks
30
.
In operation, input pin
40
carries an input signal to the input transmission line
42
which then transfers the input signal to die blocks
30
. The input pin
40
and the input transmission line
42
may also bias the hybrid power amplifier to match the input impedance of the circuit to which the hybrid power amplifier is connected (not shown). After processing the input signal, die blocks
30
produce the output signal. The output signal travels from the die blocks
30
to output transmission line
43
, which then sends the output signal to output pin
41
. The output signal travels off the flange
10
through output pin
41
. Note that the die
38
on the hybrid power amplifier (and the corresponding die blocks
30
) are separated by a distance S
1
. Note further that die blocks
30
are arranged in a single column down a vertical axis, here called the “y” axis. In this orientation, a signal “travels” generally in a horizontal path along a horizontal “x” axis, which is illustrated as a left to right travel path in FIG.
2
.
As discussed above, to implement more powerful hybrid power amplifiers, more cells must be placed on each flange. Increasing the number of cells on a flange is accomplished by using larger die blocks, or by placing more die blocks on a flange. To place more die blocks on a flange, designers have taken the approach shown in FIG.
3
.
FIG. 3
(prior art) illustrates a flange
10
having four die blocks
30
disposed thereon in an “in-line” arrangement. This arrangement is called “in-line” because the die blocks are arranged in a vertical line along the y-axis. The in-line flange arrangement of
FIG. 3
is structurally similar to the flange arrangement
FIG. 1
in that it is designed to amplify an electrical signal propagating generally from input pin
40
through the die block
30
and off the flange
10
via output pin
41
. The in-line arrangement
Choe Henry
Ericsson Inc.
Honeycutt Gary C.
Navarro Arthur I.
Pascal Robert
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