RFIC with on-chip multiple band power amplifiers
View Patent ↗A radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) includes a silicon substrate, CMOS processing circuitry, and a bipolar power amplifier module. The CMOS processing circuitry is on the silicon substrate. The bipolar power amplifier module is on the silicon substrate and is operable in a 5 GHz frequency band.
1. A radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) comprises:
a silicon substrate;
CMOS processing circuitry on the silicon substrate;
a bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the bipolar power amplifier module is operable in a 5 GHz frequency band and wherein the bipolar power amplifier module includes a low emitter to ground impedance; and
a second bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the second bipolar power amplifier module is operable in a 2.4 GHz frequency band.
2. The RFIC of claim 1 further comprises:
a third bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the third bipolar power amplifier module is operable in the 5 GHz frequency band.
3. The RFIC of claim 1 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
the low emitter to ground impedance facilitating gain of the bipolar power amplifier module.
4. The RFIC of claim 3 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a wafer via coupling to provide the low emitter to ground impedance.
5. The RFIC of claim 3 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a differential architecture having a low inductance to a virtual ground to provide the low emitter to ground impedance.
6. The RFIC of claim 3 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a thin wafer and multiple bond wires coupling an emitter of the bipolar power amplifier module to a ground to provide the low emitter to ground impedance.
7. The RFIC of claim 1 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a CMOS driver stage; and
a bipolar power amplifier coupled to the CMOS driver stage.
8. A radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) comprises:
a silicon substrate;
a CMOS baseband processing module on the silicon substrate, wherein the CMOS baseband processing module is coupled to convert outbound data into an outbound symbol stream;
CMOS transmitter circuitry on the silicon substrate, wherein the CMOS transmitter circuitry is coupled to convert the outbound symbol stream into an outbound RF signal; and
a bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the bipolar power amplifier module is operable in a 5 GHz frequency band to amplify the outbound RF signal wherein the bipolar power amplifier module includes a low emitter to ground impedance.
9. The RFIC of claim 8 further comprises:
a second bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the second bipolar power amplifier module is operable in the 5 GHz frequency band to amplify a second outbound RF signal, wherein the outbound RF signal and the second outbound RF signal are at least part of a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication, a diversity communication, a beamforming communication, or a polarization communication.
10. The RFIC of claim 8 further comprises:
a second bipolar, power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the second bipolar power amplifier module is operable in a 2.4 GHz frequency band to amplify a second outbound RF signal, wherein the outbound RF signal and the second outbound RF signal are at least part of a multiple mode communication.
11. The RFIC of claim 8 further comprises:
a second bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the second bipolar power amplifier module is operable in the 5 GHz frequency band to amplify a second outbound RF signal, wherein the outbound RF signal and the second outbound RF signal are at least part of a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) communication, a diversity communication, a beamforming communication, or a polarization communication;
a third bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the third bipolar power amplifier module is operable in a 2.4 GHz frequency band to amplify a third outbound RF signal; and
a fourth bipolar power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the fourth bipolar power amplifier module is operable in the 2.4 GHz frequency band to amplify a fourth outbound RF signal, wherein the third outbound RF signal and the fourth outbound RF signal are at least part of a second MIMO communication, a second diversity communication, a second beamforming communication, or a second polarization communication.
12. The RFIC of claim 8 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
the low emitter to ground impedance facilitating gain of the bipolar power amplifier module.
13. The RFIC of claim 12 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a wafer via coupling to provide the low emitter to ground impedance.
14. The RFIC of claim 12 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a differential architecture having a low inductance to a virtual ground to provide the low emitter to ground impedance.
15. The RFIC of claim 12 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a thin wafer and multiple bond wires coupling an emitter of the bipolar power amplifier module to a ground to provide the low emitter to ground impedance.
16. The RFIC of claim 8 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises:
a CMOS driver stage; and
a bipolar power amplifier coupled to the CMOS driver stage.
17. A radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) comprises:
a silicon substrate;
CMOS processing circuitry on the silicon substrate;
a first power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the first power amplifier module is operable in a first GHz frequency band; and
a second power amplifier module on the silicon substrate, wherein the second power amplifier module is operable in a second GHz frequency band and wherein at least one of the first and second power amplifier modules includes a bipolar power amplifier having a low emitter to ground impedance.
18. The RFIC of claim 17 further comprises:
the first GHz frequency band including a 5 GHz frequency band; and
the second GHz frequency band including a 2.4 GHz frequency band.
19. The RFIC of claim 17 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier module comprises at least one of:
a wafer via coupling to provide the low emitter to ground impedance;
a differential architecture having a low inductance to a virtual ground to provide the low emitter to ground impedance; and
a thin wafer and multiple bond wires coupling an emitter of the bipolar power amplifier module to a ground to provide the low emitter to ground impedance.
20. The RFIC of claim 17 , wherein the bipolar power amplifier comprises:
a CMOS driver stage; and
a bipolar power amplifier coupled to the CMOS driver stage.