Shared-Area Differential Inductor Layout for Compact RF Power Amplifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
RF power amplifiers with differential inductor circuits require a larger area due to independently disposed coils, which decreases inductance, making it challenging to achieve both reduced size and increased inductance in shrinking electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A differential inductor circuit design where the first and second coil inductors share a central area by extending in a half circle and surrounding it with multiple full circles, allowing them to be electrically coupled and generate currents with inverse directions, thereby enhancing mutual inductance and reducing overall area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If two coils in the differential inductor circuit are disposed independently and distanced to each other, then the area occupied is larger, but the inductances are decreased due to mutual inductance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the two coils of the differential inductor circuit into a shared central area, where both coils surround the same internal central area. This combining approach allows the coils to be electrically coupled while maintaining their differential function, resolving the contradiction by achieving both compact area utilization and preserved inductance values through the shared geometric configuration
2Reliability
If the area of the coils is increased to achieve larger inductances, then the inductance increases, but the size of electronic apparatuses cannot be shrunk
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the nesting principle by having both coils surround a shared internal central area, with each coil's windings nested around the same core region. This nested configuration allows the inductor circuit to achieve larger effective inductance values within a compact footprint, as the shared central area is utilized by both coils simultaneously, thereby reducing the overall area required while maintaining or enhancing inductance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design reduces the area occupied by the inductor circuits to roughly that of a single inductor while increasing inductance, achieving the goals of shrinking size and enhancing performance simultaneously.
Implementation Method 1
The first coil inductor receives a first signal of a pair of differential signals to generate a first current, and the second coil inductor receives a second signal of the pair of differential signals to generate a second current, and the first current and the second current have directions inverse to each other
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses a differential inductor circuit is provided that includes a first coil inductor and a second coil inductor. The first coil inductor is coupled to a first terminal and starts to extend for a first half circle and further extend to surround an central area for N first full circles to be coupled to a second terminal, wherein N is an integer larger than or equal to 0. The second coil inductor is coupled to a third terminal to and starts to extend for a second half circle and further extend to surround the central area for N second full circles to be coupled to a fourth terminal, in which the second half circle and the first half circuit together enclose the central area. The first coil inductor receives a first signal of a pair of differential signals to generate a first current and the second coil inductor receives a second signal of the pair of differential signals to generate a second current, in which the first current and the second current have directions inverse to each other.