Cross-Wired Microwave Amplifier Circuit for High Power Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microwave and millimeter-wave high-power monolithic integrated power amplifier circuits face challenges in matching low output impedance to 50 ohms within limited chip space, making it difficult to achieve high output power and efficiency, especially due to the large grid-width HEMT transistor core and limited wiring space.
Innovation Solution
The amplifier circuit employs a cross-wiring configuration between direct-current and microwave signals, forming a three-dimensional cross network with 90° included angles, utilizing micro-strip lines and MIM capacitors, and air bridges to increase output impedance and improve matching network adjustability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a large line width feeding circuit is used to supply large current for high-power output, then the current carrying capacity is improved, but the chip area occupied increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements cross-wiring between DC feeding circuit and microwave signal circuit in the tail-level layout, utilizing three-dimensional spatial arrangement to allow circuits to pass through each other's plane. This enables the DC feeding circuit to carry large current while occupying minimal chip area, as the wiring utilizes vertical stacking and cross-layer connections rather than expanding horizontally.
2Ease of manufacture
If the chip size is miniaturized to improve consistency and yield rate, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the wiring space for feeding circuit and matching circuit becomes extremely limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs three-dimensional cross-wiring architecture where DC feeding lines and microwave signal lines are arranged in different layers and intersect vertically. This spatial arrangement allows both feeding circuits and matching circuits to be integrated in a compact footprint, providing sufficient wiring space for complex circuits while maintaining miniaturized chip dimensions for high yield rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The tail-level circuit is segmented into distinct functional blocks (DC feeding circuit, microwave signal circuit, matching circuit) that are independently routed and interconnected through the cross-wiring architecture. This segmentation allows each circuit to be optimized independently while fitting within the limited chip space through efficient three-dimensional routing.
3Reliability
If conventional tail-level circuit layout is used with large grid-width HEMT transistor core, then the transistor core performance is maintained, but the matching from very low output impedance to 50 ohms becomes nearly impossible within limited chip space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes cross-wiring in three-dimensional space to provide flexible routing paths for the matching circuit. The DC feeding circuit and microwave signal circuit intersect in different layers, creating additional routing dimensions that allow the matching circuit to be optimally designed for impedance transformation from very low output impedance to 50 ohms without being constrained by planar layout limitations.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is an amplifier circuit with cross wiring of direct-current signals and microwave signals. The circuit includes a circuit network unit formed of a direct-current feeding circuit and a microwave power signal circuit. The direct-current feeding circuit comprises a high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) drain power-up bonding point, a corresponding line, a feeding end of a tail-level HEMT transistor core, a first Metal-Insulator-Metal (MIM) capacitor, a first micro-strip inductor, symmetrical branch micro-strips, a second MIM capacitors. The microwave power signal circuit comprises a signal end of the tail-level HEMT transistor core, two third MIM capacitors, other electrode of the second MIM capacitors, a ground micro-strip inductors, a second micro-strip inductors, a third micro-strip inductor, a fourth MIM capacitor.