Apparatus and method for improved amplifier shunt-peak loading

1. An apparatus comprising:

first amplification circuitry having first shunt-peak circuitry; and

second amplification circuitry having second shunt-peak circuitry;

wherein the second shunt-peak circuitry is arranged to use at least part of the first shunt-peak circuitry;

and wherein the first shunt-peak circuitry comprises a first load path having a first resistive element in series with an inductive element, wherein the first shunt-peak circuitry comprises a first capacitive element, and wherein the second shunt-peak circuitry comprises a second load path having a second resistive element in series with the inductive element of the first shunt-peak circuitry, wherein the second shunt-peak further comprises a second capacitive element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second load paths are arranged to couple respective outputs of the first and second amplification circuitry to a voltage supply.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first capacitive element is arranged to be in shunt with the first load path, and the second capacitive element is arranged to be in shunt with the second load path.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first capacitive element is arranged to couple an output of the first amplification circuitry to a voltage supply, and the second capacitive element is arranged to couple an output of the second amplification circuitry to the voltage supply.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first amplification circuitry comprises part of one of a positive or negative side of a differential amplifier and the second amplification circuitry comprises part of the other of the positive and negative side of the differential amplifier.

6. A method comprising:

using first and second amplification circuitry and first and second shunt-peak circuitry to amplify signals;

using at least part of the first shunt-peak circuitry in the second shunt-peak circuitry, the first shunt-peak circuitry comprising a first load path having a first resistive element in series with an inductive element, wherein the first shunt-peak circuitry comprises a first capacitive element, and the second shunt-peak circuitry comprising a second load path having a second resistive element in series with the inductive element of the first shunt-peak circuitry, wherein the second shunt-peak circuitry further comprises a second capacitive element.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first and second load paths are arranged to couple respective outputs of the first and second amplification circuitry to a voltage supply.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the first capacitive element is arranged to be in shunt with the first load path, and the second capacitive element is arranged to be in shunt with the second load path.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first capacitive element is arranged to couple an output of the first amplification circuitry to a voltage supply, and the second capacitive element is arranged to couple an output of the second amplification circuitry to the voltage supply.

10. An apparatus comprising:

first means for amplification having first means for shunt-peaking; and

second means for amplification having second means for shunt-peaking,

wherein the second means for shunt-peaking is arranged to use at least part of the first means for shunt-peaking,

and wherein the first means for shunt-peaking comprises a first load path means having a first resistive means in series with an inductive means, wherein the first means for shunt-peaking comprises a first capacitive element, and wherein the second means for shunt-peaking comprises a second load path means having a second resistive means in series with the inductive means of the first means for shunt-peaking, wherein the second means for shunt-peaking comprises a second capacitive element.

11. A method comprising:

using first and second amplification circuitry and first and second shunt-peak circuitry to amplify signals over an operational bandwidth; and

using at least part of the first shunt-peak circuitry in the second shunt-peak circuitry, the first shunt-peak circuitry comprising a first load path having a first resistive element in series with an inductive element, wherein the first shunt-peak circuitry comprises a first capacitive element, and the second shunt-peak circuitry comprising a second load path having a second resistive element in series with the inductive element of the first shunt-peak circuitry, wherein the second shunt-peak circuitry comprises a second capacitive element.