Low noise amplifier circuit, electronic device, and control method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of low noise amplification circuit, electronic equipment and control method, the low noise amplification circuit includes input matching module, enhanced amplification module and output matching module.Input matching module is used to access initial signal, and the initial signal is amplified for the first time to obtain intermediate signal.Input matching module is provided with three inductance coils for providing input impedance matching for initial signal, three inductance coils are mutually coupled to form a first coupled transformer together.Enhanced amplification module is used to receive intermediate signal, and the intermediate signal is amplified for the second time to obtain target signal.Output matching module is used to receive target signal and provide output impedance matching for target signal.The low noise amplification circuit of the application adopts three inductance coils in input matching module Mutually coupled to form a first coupled transformer, wideband impedance matching is realized by single transformer, while the chip area of low noise amplifier is greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of integrated circuit technology, and in particular to a low-noise amplifier circuit, electronic device, and control method. Background Technology

[0002] The millimeter-wave low-noise amplifier (LNA), as the first-stage active module of a millimeter-wave receiver, plays a crucial role in amplifying the millimeter-wave signal received from the antenna with the lowest possible noise and providing sufficiently high gain to suppress the influence of noise generated by subsequent modules.

[0003] Thanks to advancements in Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) technology and continuous innovation in circuit design, millimeter-wave LNAs have achieved improvements in noise figure, bandwidth, and gain. However, current low-noise amplifiers use independent inductor coils for input impedance matching networks, which, while meeting the impedance matching requirements of the input signal, result in a larger chip area. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a low-noise amplifier circuit to solve the problem of large chip area in the low-noise amplifiers of the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0006] A low-noise amplifier circuit includes:

[0007] An input matching module is used to receive an initial signal and amplify the initial signal for the first time to obtain an intermediate signal. The input matching module is equipped with three inductors for providing input impedance matching for the initial signal. The three inductors are coupled to each other to form a first coupling transformer.

[0008] An enhancement amplification module, electrically connected to the input matching module, is used to receive the intermediate signal and amplify it a second time to obtain the target signal; and

[0009] An output matching module, which is electrically connected to the enhancement amplification module, is used to receive the target signal and provide output impedance matching for the target signal.

[0010] Furthermore, the first coupling transformer includes a first inductor, a second inductor, and a third inductor, and the input matching module includes a first transistor;

[0011] One end of the first inductor is used to connect to the initial signal, and the other end of the first inductor is used to connect to the first bias signal;

[0012] One end of the second inductor is connected to one end of the first inductor, and the other end of the second inductor is connected to the gate of the first transistor;

[0013] One end of the third inductor is connected to the source of the first transistor, and the other end of the third inductor is grounded.

[0014] The drain of the first transistor is connected to the enhancement amplification module.

[0015] Furthermore, the input matching module also includes a first capacitor, one end of which is used to receive the initial signal, and the other end of which is connected to one end of the first inductor and one end of the second inductor, respectively.

[0016] Furthermore, the input matching module also includes a second capacitor, one end of which is connected to the other end of the first inductor, and the other end of which is connected to the other end of the third inductor.

[0017] Furthermore, the enhancement amplification module includes a third capacitor, a fourth capacitor, a first resistor, a fourth inductor, a fifth inductor, a sixth inductor, and a second transistor;

[0018] One end of the third capacitor is connected to the input matching module, and the other end of the third capacitor is connected to one end of the sixth inductor coil, and the other end of the sixth inductor coil is connected to the gate of the second transistor.

[0019] One end of the first resistor is used to connect to the second bias voltage, and the other end of the first resistor is connected to the other end of the sixth inductor.

[0020] One end of the fifth inductor is connected to the source of the second transistor, and the other end of the fifth inductor is connected to one end of the fourth capacitor, the other end of the fourth capacitor being grounded.

[0021] One end of the fourth inductor is connected to the input matching module, and the other end of the fourth inductor is connected to the other end of the fifth inductor.

[0022] The fourth inductor and the fifth inductor are coupled to each other to form a second coupling transformer;

[0023] The drain of the second transistor is connected to the output matching module.

[0024] Furthermore, the output matching module includes a seventh inductor, an eighth inductor, and a fifth capacitor;

[0025] One end of the eighth inductor is connected to the enhancement amplification module, and the other end of the eighth inductor is connected to one end of the fifth capacitor. The other end of the fifth capacitor is used to output the target signal.

[0026] The first end of the seventh inductor is connected to the other end of the eighth inductor coil, and the other end of the seventh inductor coil is used to connect to a voltage source.

[0027] Furthermore, the seventh inductor and the eighth inductor are coupled together to form a third coupling transformer.

[0028] Furthermore, the seventh and eighth inductors are each set independently.

[0029] A control method applied to a low-noise amplifier circuit as described in any of the preceding claims, the method comprising the steps of:

[0030] Receive initial signal;

[0031] The initial signal is provided with input impedance matching via a first coupling transformer;

[0032] The initial signal is amplified for the first time to obtain an intermediate signal;

[0033] The intermediate signal is amplified a second time to obtain the target signal;

[0034] Provide output impedance matching to the target signal.

[0035] An electronic device comprising a low-noise amplifier circuit as described in any of the preceding claims.

[0036] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: In the input matching module, the low-noise amplifier circuit of this application uses three inductor coils coupled to each other to form a first coupling transformer, and achieves broadband impedance matching through a single transformer, while greatly reducing the chip area of ​​the low-noise amplifier. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a low-noise amplifier circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 2 This is a layout of the first coupling transformer for input matching in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 3 Parameter table of each component in the low-noise amplifier circuit of this invention embodiment;

[0040] Figure 4 Gain and return loss diagram of the low-noise amplifier circuit in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 5 Noise figure diagram of the low-noise amplifier circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 6 Input third-order intermodulation point diagram of the low-noise amplifier circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 7 A flowchart of the control method of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0044] Label Explanation:

[0045] 100. Input matching module; 200. Gain amplification module; 300. Output matching module. Detailed Implementation

[0046] To explain in detail the technical content, objectives, and effects of the present invention, the following description is provided in conjunction with the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0047] Example 1

[0048] Please refer to Figures 1 to 6 This embodiment provides a low-noise amplifier circuit, which is applied to a millimeter-wave low-noise amplifier to amplify the input radio frequency signal.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 1 The low-noise amplifier circuit includes an input matching module 100, an enhancement amplification module, and an output matching module 300. The input matching module 100 receives an initial signal and amplifies it a first time to obtain an intermediate signal. The input matching module 100 is equipped with three inductors for providing input impedance matching for the initial signal; these three inductors are coupled together to form a first coupling transformer. The enhancement amplification module is electrically connected to the input matching module 100 and receives the intermediate signal, amplifying it a second time to obtain a target signal. The output matching module 300 is electrically connected to the enhancement amplification module and receives the target signal and provides output impedance matching for the target signal.

[0050] The low-noise amplifier circuit in this embodiment operates as follows: the initial signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal, and the input matching module 100 provides the input matching impedance for the initial signal. Specifically, three mutually coupled inductors form a first coupling transformer. This first coupling transformer couples the input signal to the signal amplification device of the input matching module 100 for initial amplification to obtain an intermediate signal. The enhancement amplification module receives the intermediate signal and amplifies it a second time to obtain the target signal. The output matching module 300 is mainly responsible for the output impedance matching of the low-noise amplifier circuit and outputs the target signal to the subsequent circuit.

[0051] Understandably, this embodiment uses three mutually coupled inductors to form a first coupling transformer, providing an input matching impedance for the initial signal, thus optimizing the circuit structure of the input impedance matching network and greatly reducing the occupied area.

[0052] Please continue to refer to Figure 1 Specifically, the first coupling transformer includes a first inductor Lg, a second inductor Lgg, and a third inductor Ls. The input matching module 100 includes a first transistor M1. One end of the first inductor Lg is used to connect to the initial signal, and the other end is used to connect to the first bias signal. One end of the second inductor Lgg is connected to one end of the first inductor Lg, and the other end of the second inductor Lgg is connected to the gate of the first transistor M1. One end of the third inductor Ls is connected to the source of the first transistor M1, and the other end of the third inductor Ls is grounded. The drain of the first transistor M1 is connected to the enhancement amplification module.

[0053] In this system, the first inductor Lg, the second inductor Lgg, and the third inductor Ls are coupled in pairs to form a first coupling transformer. The first bias voltage Vb1 is connected to the second inductor Lgg via the first inductor Lg, ensuring that the first transistor M1 operates in the saturation region. The initial signal enters the first coupling transformer, composed of the first inductor Lg, the second inductor Lgg, and the third inductor Ls, for preliminary amplification. Since the third inductor Ls is located at the source of the first transistor M1, feedback is formed between the first coupling transformer and the source of the first transistor M1, thereby reducing the active device noise generated by the first transistor M1 and obtaining an intermediate signal.

[0054] Optionally, the input matching module 100 further includes a first capacitor Cin, one end of which is used to connect to the initial signal, and the other end of which is connected to one end of the first inductor Lg and one end of the second inductor Lgg, respectively.

[0055] Understandably, the first capacitor Cin acts as a protective capacitor to introduce the initial signal, and the initial signal enters the first coupling transformer after being blocked by the first capacitor Cin.

[0056] Optionally, the input matching module 100 further includes a second capacitor Cby1, one end of which is connected to the other end of the first inductor Lg, and the other end of which is connected to the other end of the third inductor Ls.

[0057] Understandably, the second capacitor Cby1 is connected to the first bias voltage Vb1 at one end and grounded at the other end, so as to act as a decoupling capacitor to connect the first bias voltage Vb1 to ground.

[0058] Specifically, the enhancement amplification module includes a third capacitor Cby2, a fourth capacitor Cby3, a first resistor R, a fourth inductor Ld1, a fifth inductor LS1, a sixth inductor Lg2, and a second transistor M2.

[0059] One end of the third capacitor Cby2 is connected to the input matching module 100. Specifically, one end of the third capacitor Cby2 is connected to the drain of the first transistor M1. The other end of the third capacitor Cby2 is connected to one end of the sixth inductor Lg2, and the other end of the sixth inductor Lg2 is connected to the gate of the second transistor M2. One end of the first resistor R is used to connect to the second bias voltage Vb2, and the other end of the first resistor R is connected to the other end of the sixth inductor Lg2. One end of the fifth inductor LS1 is connected to the source of the second transistor M2, and the other end of the fifth inductor LS1 is connected to one end of the fourth capacitor Cby3, and the other end of the fourth capacitor Cby3 is grounded. One end of the fourth inductor Ld1 is connected to the input matching module 100. Specifically, one end of the fourth inductor Ld1 is connected to the drain of the first transistor M1. The other end of the fourth inductor is connected to the other end of the fifth inductor LS1. The fourth inductor Ld1 and the fifth inductor LS1 are coupled to each other to form a second coupling transformer. The drain of the second transistor M2 is connected to the output matching module 300.

[0060] Understandably, the enhancement amplification module performs secondary amplification on the initial signal based on the amplification of the input matching module 100, and plays a dominant role in the overall circuit gain. The fourth inductor Ld1 and the fifth inductor LS1 are coupled to form a second coupling transformer, which feeds the intermediate signal back to the source of the second transistor M2. This circuit structure can significantly increase the transconductance of the second amplification stage and improve the gain. Specifically, the intermediate signal is output from the drain of the first transistor M1 and then blocked again by the third capacitor Cby2, subsequently flowing into the gate of the second transistor M2 through the sixth inductor Lg2. Due to the transconductance enhancement technology, the transconductance of the amplification stage containing the second transistor M2 is significantly increased. Simultaneously, its gain has two peaks in the frequency domain, which can be adjusted to further broaden the system's operating bandwidth and gain flatness. This embodiment uses transconductance enhancement technology to significantly improve the system gain and, by adjusting the gain poles, broadens the circuit's operating bandwidth and optimizes the gain flatness.

[0061] Specifically, the output matching module 300 includes a seventh inductor Ld2, an eighth inductor Ld3, and a fifth capacitor Cout. One end of the eighth inductor Ld3 is connected to the enhancement amplification module; specifically, one end of the eighth inductor Ld3 is connected to the drain of the second transistor M2. The other end of the eighth inductor is connected to one end of the fifth capacitor Cout, and the other end of the fifth capacitor Cout is used to output the target signal. The first end of the seventh inductor is connected to the other end of the eighth inductor Ld3, and the other end of the seventh inductor Ld2 is used to connect to the voltage source VDD.

[0062] Understandably, the output matching module 300 is responsible for further extending the output impedance of the low-noise amplifier circuit and the overall circuit operating bandwidth. The eighth inductor Ld3 is connected to the drain of the second transistor M2, receiving the target signal amplified by the gain amplification module 200. The eighth inductor Ld3 is also connected to the fifth capacitor Cout and outputs the amplified target signal. The eighth inductor Ld3 is also connected to the circuit's total voltage source VDD through the seventh inductor Ld2. The seventh inductor Ld2, the eighth inductor Ld3, and the fifth capacitor Cout form a T-shaped coil network. The amplified target signal is output after passing through this T-shaped coil system, ensuring reverse isolation while providing output matching impedance. This embodiment uses current multiplexing technology, with two common-source amplifiers sharing a single voltage source VDD, avoiding multiple main currents and saving system power consumption.

[0063] For example, this embodiment is based on a 65nm CMOS process, and the design parameters are as follows: Figure 3 As shown. Please refer to... Figures 4 to 6Experiments verified that this embodiment achieved a gain of 12.5dB at 15.6GHz. The 3dB gain bandwidth ranges from 12.9GHz to 38.6GHz, covering the 24.25GHz–27.5GHz frequency band for 5G millimeter-wave communication, demonstrating practical application significance. As the first-stage amplifier circuit of the receiver, the impedance matching effect represented by return loss is particularly important. Typically, within the operating frequency band, the return loss of this circuit system should be less than -10dB. Through a three-turn coupled transformer input matching network, this embodiment achieves an excellent input matching with a -10dB return loss bandwidth from 12.4GHz to 46.9GHz. The system noise is between 3.2dB and 4.4dB, and the overall power consumption is 5.1mW, achieving a low power consumption level.

[0064] The main improvement in this embodiment is the three-turn coupled transformer system for input impedance matching. This impedance matching network combines series and parallel matching in traditional impedance matching networks to address the issues of low frequency and narrow bandwidth inherent in traditional impedance matching networks. Based on input impedance verification, this matching system, by adjusting the input impedance poles, achieves good return loss performance over a fairly wide frequency band. In this embodiment, the -10dB return loss bandwidth reaches 34.5GHz. Furthermore, please refer to... Figure 2 Compared to existing low-noise amplifier circuits, this embodiment effectively reduces the overall layout area of ​​the matching network and optimizes impedance matching within the operating bandwidth. In the three-turn coupled transformer system of this embodiment, noise is mainly contributed by the gate and channel of the first transistor M1. The first inductor Lg, the second inductor Lgg, and the third inductor Ls of the first coupled transformer are coupled to each other, introducing feedback into the system, thereby reducing the gate noise and channel thermal noise generated by the first transistor M1, and maintaining a noise figure of about 3dB within the operating frequency band.

[0065] Preferably, the seventh inductor Ld2 and the eighth inductor Ld3 are coupled together to form a third coupling transformer.

[0066] Understandably, when the sixth inductor Lg2 is further coupled to the second coupling transformer formed by the coupling of the fourth inductor Ld1 and the fifth inductor LS1, or further coupled to the third coupling transformer formed by the coupling of the seventh inductor Ld2 and the eighth inductor Ld3, thus forming a second-stage three-turn coupling transformer, the system can achieve similar or slightly worse gain bandwidth and gain peak.

[0067] Optionally, the seventh inductor Ld2 and the eighth inductor Ld3 are set independently. It is understood that the seventh inductor Ld2 and the eighth inductor Ld3 can also be replaced by two independently set inductors. This will slightly reduce the system operating bandwidth and output impedance matching effect, and increase the chip area of ​​the output matching network.

[0068] Example 2

[0069] Please refer to Figure 7 This embodiment provides a control method applied to the low-noise amplifier circuit of Embodiment 1. The method includes the following steps:

[0070] S10, Receive the initial signal;

[0071] S20. Provide input impedance matching to the initial signal through the first coupling transformer;

[0072] S30. The initial signal is amplified for the first time to obtain an intermediate signal;

[0073] In steps S10, S20 and S30, the input matching module receives the initial signal and provides input impedance matching through the first coupling transformer, while the initial signal is amplified for the first time to obtain the intermediate signal.

[0074] S40. The intermediate signal is amplified a second time to obtain the target signal;

[0075] In this step, the enhancement and amplification module receives the intermediate signal and amplifies it a second time to obtain the target signal.

[0076] S50, Provide output impedance matching to the target signal.

[0077] In this step, the output impedance matching module provides output impedance matching and outputs the target signal to the subsequent circuit.

[0078] Example 3

[0079] This embodiment provides an electronic device, including the low-noise amplifier circuit as described in Embodiment 1.

[0080] In this embodiment, the electronic device is a millimeter-wave receiver. Exemplarily, in other embodiments, the electronic device can also be any other electronic device with communication capabilities, such as a mobile phone, tablet computer, computer, smart wearable device, network device, in-vehicle device, or other devices dedicated to or not dedicated to communication.

[0081] In summary, the low-noise amplifier circuit, electronic device, and control method provided by this invention employ three mutually coupled inductor coils in the input matching module to form a first coupling transformer. This single transformer achieves broadband impedance matching, significantly reducing the chip area of ​​the low-noise amplifier while meeting the -10dB return loss requirement over a considerably wide bandwidth. Furthermore, this application utilizes transconductance enhancement technology to substantially increase system gain and widens the operating bandwidth and optimizes gain flatness by adjusting the gain poles. Moreover, this application employs current multiplexing technology, allowing two common-source amplifier stages to share a single voltage source, eliminating multiple main currents and saving system power consumption.

[0082] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modifications made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in related technical fields, are similarly included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A low-noise amplifier circuit, characterized in that, include: An input matching module is provided, the first end of which is used to receive an initial signal. The input matching module is used to amplify the initial signal for the first time to obtain an intermediate signal. The input matching module is provided with three inductors for providing input impedance matching for the initial signal. The three inductors are coupled to each other to form a first coupling transformer. An enhancement amplification module is provided, wherein a first end of the enhancement amplification module is electrically connected to a second end of the input matching module, the first end of the enhancement amplification module is used to receive the intermediate signal, and the enhancement amplification module is used to amplify the intermediate signal a second time to obtain the target signal; as well as An output matching module is provided, wherein the input terminal of the output matching module is electrically connected to the second terminal of the enhancement amplification module, and the output matching module is used to receive the target signal and provide output impedance matching for the target signal. The first coupling transformer includes a first inductor, a second inductor, and a third inductor, and the input matching module includes a first transistor; The first end of the first inductor is used to connect to the initial signal, and the second end of the first inductor is used to connect to the first bias signal. The first end of the second inductor is connected to the first end of the first inductor, and the second end of the second inductor is connected to the gate of the first transistor. The first end of the third inductor is connected to the source of the first transistor, and the second end of the third inductor is grounded. The first end of the first inductor, the first end of the second inductor, and the first end of the third inductor are terminals with the same name. The drain of the first transistor is connected to the first terminal of the enhancement amplification module.

2. The low-noise amplifier circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The input matching module further includes a first capacitor, one end of which is used to receive the initial signal, and the other end of which is connected to the first end of the first inductor and the first end of the second inductor, respectively.

3. The low-noise amplifier circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The input matching module further includes a second capacitor, one end of which is connected to the second end of the first inductor, and the other end of which is connected to the second end of the third inductor.

4. The low-noise amplifier circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The enhancement and amplification module includes a third capacitor, a fourth capacitor, a first resistor, a fourth inductor, a fifth inductor, a sixth inductor, and a second transistor; One end of the third capacitor is connected to the second end of the input matching module, and the other end of the third capacitor is connected to the first end of the sixth inductor. The second end of the sixth inductor is connected to the gate of the second transistor. One end of the first resistor is used to connect to the second bias signal, and the other end of the first resistor is connected to the second end of the sixth inductor. The first end of the fifth inductor is connected to the source of the second transistor, the second end of the fifth inductor is connected to one end of the fourth capacitor, and the other end of the fourth capacitor is grounded. The first end of the fourth inductor is connected to the second end of the input matching module, and the second end of the fourth inductor is connected to the second end of the fifth inductor. The fourth inductor and the fifth inductor are coupled to each other to form a second coupling transformer; The drain of the second transistor is connected to the input terminal of the output matching module.

5. The low-noise amplifier circuit according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output matching module includes a seventh inductor, an eighth inductor, and a fifth capacitor; The first end of the eighth inductor is connected to the second end of the enhancement amplification module, the second end of the eighth inductor is connected to the first end of the fifth capacitor, and the second end of the fifth capacitor is used to output the target signal; The first end of the seventh inductor is connected to the second end of the eighth inductor, and the second end of the seventh inductor is used to connect to a voltage source.

6. The low-noise amplifier circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The seventh inductor and the eighth inductor are coupled together to form the third coupling transformer.

7. The low-noise amplifier circuit according to claim 5, characterized in that, The seventh and eighth inductors are set independently.

8. A control method, characterized in that, Applied to the low-noise amplifier circuit as described in any one of claims 1-7, the method includes the steps of: Receive initial signal; The initial signal is provided with input impedance matching via a first coupling transformer; The initial signal is amplified for the first time to obtain an intermediate signal; The intermediate signal is amplified a second time to obtain the target signal; Provide output impedance matching to the target signal.

9. An electronic device, characterized in that, Includes the low-noise amplifier circuit as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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