Millimeter-Wave Power Amplifier With Back-Gate Bias Tuning
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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, particularly in applications like vehicular radar and 5G telecommunications, where size and power efficiency are critical.
Innovation Solution
The use of back gate biasing for transistors in power amplifier circuits, allowing independent tuning of injection and oscillator core currents, which reduces power consumption and enables smaller device sizes while maintaining or improving output symmetry and operating frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple programmable current sources are implemented to adjust injection current, then the power amplifier can be tuned, but power consumption increases and noise upconversion occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tuning function from multiple programmable current sources and concentrates it into a single current source with back-gate control. This removes the unnecessary multiple current sources that consume power and generate noise, while preserving the essential tuning capability through the back-gate voltage mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The single current source in the patent performs multiple functions: it provides the injection current and enables tuning through back-gate voltage control. This multi-functional approach replaces the need for multiple separate programmable current sources, reducing power consumption and noise while maintaining adaptability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If AC coupling techniques are used to decouple DC to the inductor, then DC is separated from the output, but power amplification is reduced requiring greater input power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a back-gate voltage as an intermediary control mechanism that allows DC current to be properly coupled to the inductor while still enabling tuning. This intermediary approach avoids the need for AC coupling that would block DC, thereby maintaining full power amplification capability while preventing DC interference at the output.
3Volume of moving object
If device size is reduced to meet contemporary requirements, then integration is improved, but power amplifier performance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the control parameter from multiple independent current sources to a single current source with back-gate voltage control. This parameter change enables effective tuning in a compact configuration, allowing small device size to achieve the same performance that would otherwise require larger, more complex circuitry.
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.