Millimeter-Wave Power Amplifier Back-Gate Biasing for Lower Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing millimeter wave power amplifiers have high power consumption and large size, making them unsuitable for modern devices such as vehicular radar and 5G communication devices, and current improvements like injection locked power amplifiers with multiple programmable current sources lead to increased noise and reduced power amplification.
Innovation Solution
The use of back gate biasing for transistors in power amplifier circuits to independently tune injection and oscillator core currents, reducing power consumption and size while improving symmetry and allowing higher operating frequencies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If multiple programmable current sources are implemented to adjust injection current, then power amplification performance is improved, but power consumption increases and noise upconversion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from multiple programmable current sources to a single programmable current source that controls the injection current, while using back gate voltage to independently tune the oscillator core current. This parameter change reduces the number of active components and resolves the contradiction between power amplification performance and power consumption.
2Power
If multiple programmable current sources are implemented to adjust injection current, then power amplification performance is improved, but noise upconversion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces the number of programmable current sources from multiple to one, and introduces back gate voltage control as an alternative parameter for current tuning. This eliminates the noise upconversion caused by multiple programmable current sources while maintaining power amplification performance through the back gate biasing mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If AC coupling techniques are used to decouple DC to the inductor of an output transformer, then circuit design flexibility is improved, but power amplification is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the biasing approach by applying back gate voltage to the oscillator core transistors, which independently tunes the oscillator core current without requiring AC coupling techniques. This parameter change maintains circuit design flexibility while avoiding the power amplification reduction associated with AC coupling.
4Volume of moving object
If device size is reduced to meet contemporary device requirements, then device integration is improved, but power amplifier performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses back gate voltage to independently tune the oscillator core current, which allows for optimized performance in smaller device configurations. This parameter change enables the power amplifier to maintain high performance while being integrated into compact millimeter wave devices such as vehicular radar and 5G communication devices.
Data Source
AI summary
We disclose apparatus which may provide power amplification in millimeter-wave devices with reduced size and reduced power consumption, and methods of using such apparatus. One such apparatus comprises an input transformer; a first differential pair of injection transistors comprising a first transistor and a second transistor; a first back gate voltage source configured to provide a first back gate voltage to the first transistor; a second back gate voltage source configured to provide a second back gate voltage to the second transistor; a second differential pair of oscillator core transistors comprising a third transistor and a fourth transistor, wherein the third transistor and the fourth transistor are cross-coupled; a third back gate voltage source configured to provide a third back gate voltage to the third transistor; a fourth back gate voltage source configured to provide a fourth back gate voltage to the fourth transistor; and an output transformer.