Configurable radio-frequency power amplifier and radio-frequency transmitting front-end module with same

[0035] Example one

[0036] Such as figure 2 Shown is the implementation of a radio frequency power amplifier with a configurable output impedance matching network proposed by the present invention. The radio frequency power amplifier includes a radio frequency power amplifier die 201, a first inductor L1, a second inductor L2, a third inductor L3, a first capacitor C1, a second capacitor C2, a third capacitor C3, a radio frequency switch 112, a radio frequency switch 113, and an antenna 115. The input end of the radio frequency power amplifier is connected to the radio frequency input signal (RF IN ), the output terminal is connected to one end of the first inductor L1 and the second inductor L2; the other end of the first inductor L1 is connected to one end of the third inductor L3 and one end of the third capacitor C3; the other end of the third inductor L3 is connected to DC power supply terminal V of RF power amplifier CC The other end of the third capacitor C3 is connected to the antenna 115 through the radio frequency switch 113; the other end of the second inductor L2 is connected to one end of the second capacitor C2 and one end of the first capacitor C1; the other end of the second capacitor C2 is connected to ground The other end of the first capacitor C1 is connected to the antenna 115 through the radio frequency switch 112.

[0037] In the mid-power mode, the bias voltage of the RF power amplifier is set to the mid-level voltage required by the mid-power mode (the voltage value is related to the actual design, but higher than the low-level voltage in the low-power mode), and the RF switch 112 When the RF switch 113 is closed and the RF switch 113 is opened, the output matching network of the RF power amplifier is composed of the first inductor L1, the second inductor L2, the third inductor L3, the first capacitor C1, and the second capacitor C2, providing a medium level for the RF power amplifier The load impedance makes it able to output RF power in the mid-power mode. In the low power mode, the bias of the RF power amplifier is set to the low-level voltage required for the low power mode, and the RF switch 112 is opened and the RF switch 113 is closed. At this time, the output matching network of the RF power amplifier is composed of the first inductor L1, The second inductor L2, the third inductor L3, the second capacitor C2, and the third capacitor C3 are formed to provide a high-level load impedance for the radio frequency power amplifier, so that it can output lower radio frequency power.

[0038] In a specific embodiment of a mobile phone power amplifier used for 800MHz communication, the radio frequency power amplifier is implemented using GaAs technology, and the DC supply voltage (V CC ) Is 3.4V, the value of the first inductor L1 is 3nH, the value of the second inductor L2 is 3nH, the value of the third inductor L3 is 3nH, the value of the first capacitor C1 is 1000pF, and the value of the second capacitor C2 is 4pF, The value of the third capacitor C3 is 1000 pF, and the radio frequency switches 112 and 113 are realized by a GaAs process. Under this component value configuration, in the high power mode, the RF switch 112 is closed and the RF switch 112 is opened. The output matching network provides the RF power amplifier with a load impedance of 25 ohms, the output RF power is 20 dBm, and the power added efficiency is 35%; low power In the mode, the radio frequency switch 113 is closed and the radio frequency switch 112 is opened, the output matching network provides a load impedance of 100 ohms for the radio frequency power amplifier, the output radio frequency power is 10 dBm, and the power added efficiency is 25%.

[0039] It should be noted that the DC supply voltage V CC The component values ​​of the first inductance L1, the second inductance L2, the third inductance L3, the first capacitor C1, the second capacitor C2, and the third capacitor C3 need to be designed according to the specific conditions of the entire RF power amplifier. It is easy to understand by those skilled in the art. In addition, it should be noted that the implementation of the RF power amplifier, the inductors, capacitors, and switches in the matching network in the technical solution proposed by the present invention can be achieved by using discrete components, or by using GaAs technology, insulator silicon technology, and integrated Passive device technology, semiconductor technology such as CMOS technology, or Teflon board technology, but not limited to the above implementation.

[0040] The above-mentioned technical solution enables the multi-power mode radio frequency transmitting front-end module in high, medium and low power modes to work normally only with two amplifier tubes, thereby reducing the area required by the multi-power mode radio frequency transmitting front end module. The multi-mode radio frequency transmitting front-end module using the configurable radio frequency power amplifier provided by the present invention, such as Figure 3-6 As shown, it includes: a power mode controller 110, a high power mode radio frequency power amplifier 107, a configurable power radio frequency amplifier 200, and a third radio frequency switch 111. The high power mode radio frequency power amplifier 107 includes a high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 and The third output matching network 102; the configurable RF power amplifier 200 is connected to the power mode controller 110, and the power mode controller 110 controls the first RF switch 113, the second RF switch 112, and the third RF switch 111 according to the power mode to turn on or Closed; RF input signals are respectively input to the high-power mode RF power amplifier die 101 and the configurable RF power amplifier die 201.

[0041] Although the above-mentioned technical solutions have reduced the area required by the multi-power mode radio frequency transmitting front-end module, in order to further reduce the area required by the multi-power mode radio frequency transmitting front-end module and improve the integration, the application will be described in detail in the following embodiments. An implementation scheme of a multi-power mode radio frequency transmitting front-end module of a radio frequency power amplifier with a configurable output impedance matching network.

[0042] Example two

[0043] The structure of the first multi-power mode radio frequency transmitting front-end module proposed by the present invention is as follows image 3 Shown. The entire radio frequency transmitting front end is integrated into a single module, which includes a first chip 203 and a second chip 204. The first chip 203 integrates a high-power mode RF power amplifier die 101 and its output matching network 102, and a configurable RF power amplifier 200 with a configurable output impedance matching network 202. The configurable RF power amplifier 200 includes a configurable output impedance. The matching network 202 and the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 201, the bias voltage of the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 201 can be changed; the first chip 203 is usually manufactured by a GaAs HBT process. The power mode controller 110 and the radio frequency switch 111 are integrated on the second chip 204. The second chip is manufactured using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. Because SOI is compatible with the traditional CMOS process on the one hand, it can be conveniently used to implement the power mode controller 110; and on the other hand, it has a high resistivity substrate similar to the GaAs process (resistivity greater than 300Ω·cm) and high breakdown The voltage can be used to realize the low-loss RF switch 111, so the SOI process can be used to integrate the power mode controller 110 and the RF switch 111, thereby greatly improving the integration of the RF transmitting front end. The input ends of the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 201 and the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 are connected to the radio frequency input signal (RF IN ); The output ends of the configurable RF power amplifier die 201 and the high-power mode RF power amplifier die 101 are respectively connected to one end of the configurable output impedance matching network 202 and the output matching network 102; the other end of the output matching network 102 is connected to One end of the radio frequency switch 111, the other end of the configurable output impedance matching network 202 is connected to the antenna 115; the other end of the radio frequency switch 111 is connected to the antenna 115. The power mode controller 110 controls the working state of the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 201 (working or not working, which bias voltage to work under) and the working state of the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 (working or Does not work), and controls the state (closed or open) of the radio frequency switch 111 and the radio frequency switches 112 and 113 in the configurable output impedance matching network 202.

[0044] In this technical solution, three power modes can be implemented, namely low power mode, medium power mode and high power mode. In the low power mode, the power mode controller 110 controls the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 105 to work at a low-level bias voltage while the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 does not work, and controls the radio frequency switch 113 to close and the radio frequency The switch 111 and the radio frequency switch 112 are turned on. At this time, the input radio frequency signal (RF) from the radio frequency transceiver (Transceiver) in the mobile terminal IN ) After being amplified by the configurable RF power amplifier 200 and then connected to the antenna 115 after passing through the RF switch 113, the high power mode RF power amplifier die 101 does not work. In the medium power mode, the power mode controller 110 controls the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 105 to work at a medium-level bias voltage while the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 does not work, and controls the radio frequency switch 112 to close and the radio frequency The switch 111 and the radio frequency switch 113 are opened. At this time, the input radio frequency signal (RF) from the radio frequency transceiver (Transceiver) in the mobile terminal IN ) After being amplified by the configurable RF power amplifier 200 and then connected to the antenna 115 after passing through the RF switch 112, the high-power mode RF power amplifier die 101 does not work. In the high power mode, the power mode controller 110 controls the high power mode RF power amplifier die 101 to work, the configurable RF power amplifier die 201 does not work, and controls the RF switch 112 and the RF switch 113 to open and the RF switch 111 to close; At this time, the high-power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 works to output high-level power.

[0045] Example three

[0046] The structure of the second multi-power mode radio frequency transmitting front-end module proposed by the present invention is as follows Figure 4 Shown. The entire RF transmitting front end is integrated into a single module, which includes a third chip 205 and a fourth chip 206. The third chip 205 integrates a high-power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 and a configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 201; the third chip 205 is usually manufactured using a GaAs HBT process. The fourth chip 206 integrates the power mode controller 110, the radio frequency switch 111, the output matching network 102 of the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier, and the configurable output impedance matching network 202 of the configurable radio frequency power amplifier 200. The fourth chip is manufactured using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) process. Because SOI is compatible with the traditional CMOS process on the one hand, it can be conveniently used to implement the power mode controller 110; and on the other hand, it has a high resistivity substrate similar to the GaAs process (resistivity greater than 300Ω·cm) and high breakdown The voltage can be used to realize the low-loss RF switch 111, so the SOI process can be used to integrate the power mode controller 110, the RF switch 111, the output matching network 102 of the power mode RF power amplifier, and the configurability of the configurable RF power amplifier 200 The output impedance matching network 202 greatly improves the integration level of the radio frequency transmitting front end. The input ends of the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 201 and the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 are connected to the radio frequency input signal (RF IN ); The output ends of the configurable RF power amplifier die 201 and the high-power mode RF power amplifier die 101 are respectively connected to one end of the configurable output impedance matching network 202 and the output matching network 102; the other end of the output matching network 102 is connected to One end of the radio frequency switch 111, the other end of the configurable output impedance matching network 202 is connected to the antenna 115; the other end of the radio frequency switch 111 is connected to the antenna 115. The power mode controller 110 controls the working state of the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 201 (working or not working, which bias voltage to work under) and the working state of the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 (working or Does not work), and controls the state (closed or open) of the radio frequency switch 111 and the radio frequency switches 112 and 113 in the configurable output impedance matching network 202.

[0047] In this technical solution, three power modes can be implemented, namely low power mode, medium power mode and high power mode. In the low power mode, the power mode controller 110 controls the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 105 to work at a low-level bias voltage while the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 does not work, and controls the radio frequency switch 113 to close and the radio frequency The switch 111 and the radio frequency switch 112 are turned on. At this time, the input radio frequency signal (RF) from the radio frequency transceiver (Transceiver) in the mobile terminal IN ) After being amplified by the configurable RF power amplifier 200 and then connected to the antenna 115 after passing through the RF switch 113, the high power mode RF power amplifier die 101 does not work. In the medium power mode, the power mode controller 110 controls the configurable radio frequency power amplifier die 105 to work at a medium-level bias voltage while the high power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 does not work, and controls the radio frequency switch 112 to close and the radio frequency The switch 111 and the radio frequency switch 113 are opened. At this time, the input radio frequency signal (RF) from the radio frequency transceiver (Transceiver) in the mobile terminal IN ) After being amplified by the configurable RF power amplifier 200 and then connected to the antenna 115 after passing through the RF switch 112, the high-power mode RF power amplifier die 101 does not work. In the high power mode, the power mode controller 110 controls the high power mode RF power amplifier die 101 to work, the configurable RF power amplifier die 201 does not work, and controls the RF switch 112 and the RF switch 113 to open and the RF switch 111 to close; At this time, the high-power mode radio frequency power amplifier die 101 works to output high-level power.