IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,456,238
Granted Patent B1
US 8,456,238 · App. 13/436,802 · Granted Jun 4, 2013

Tapered attenuator network for mitigating effects of direct current (DC) bias inductor self-resonance in traveling wave amplifiers

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,456,238
App. No.
13/436,802
Granted
Jun 4, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

A traveling wave amplifier includes a tapered attenuator network for mitigating the effects of DC bias inductor self-resonance. The amplifier includes a gain stages connected in a ladder network for successively amplifying a forward traveling wave caused by an input signal to produce an output signal. A back termination is coupled to the gain stages to absorb backwards traveling waves created by reflections from the gain stages and an output of the amplifier. An inductive DC bias circuit is coupled to the gain stages near the back termination for providing DC bias to the gain stages. A tapered multi-section frequency selective attenuator network is connected between the DC bias circuit and a first one of the gain stages for reducing the effect of self-resonance of the inductive DC bias circuit on the output signal.

Claims (17)

1. A traveling wave amplifier having a tapered attenuator network for mitigating the effects of direct current (DC) bias inductor self-resonance, the traveling wave amplifier comprising:

a plurality of gain stages connected in a ladder network for successively amplifying a forward traveling wave caused by an input signal to produce an output signal;

a back termination coupled to the gain stages to absorb backwards traveling waves created by reflections from the gain stages and an output of the amplifier;

an inductive direct current (DC) bias circuit coupled to the gain stages near the back termination for providing DC bias to the gain stages; and

a tapered multi-section frequency selective attenuator network connected between the inductive DC bias current and a first one of the gain stages for reducing the effect of self-resonance of the inductive DC bias circuit on the output signal.

2. The amplifier of claim 1 wherein the tapered multi-section frequency selective attenuator network includes N sections, N being an integer of at least 2, the Nth section being closer to the inductive DC bias circuit than the N+1th section and the Nth section having a greater inductance than the N+1th section.

3. The amplifier of claim 1 wherein each section of the tapered multi-section frequency selective attenuator network includes a series resistance and a series inductance connected in a Pi configuration with a first shunt resistance and a first shunt capacitance and a second shunt resistance and a second shunt capacitance.

4. The amplifier of claim 1 wherein each section of the tapered multi-section frequency selective attenuator network includes a series resistance and a series inductance connected in a Tee configuration with a shunt resistance and a shunt capacitance.

5. The amplifier of claim 1 wherein the tapered multi-section frequency selective attenuator network is formed entirely of passive components.

6. A tapered multi-section attenuator network for reducing the effects of self-resonance of an inductor-based direct current (DC) bias circuit, the network comprising:

N attenuator sections, N being an integer of at least two, the Nth section being connected to the (N+1)th section, each of the N sections including a series resistance, a series inductance, a first shunt resistance, and a first shunt capacitance;

wherein a first of the N attenuator sections is configured to connect to an inductor based DC bias circuit and a last of the N attenuator sections is configured to connect to a gain stage of a traveling wave amplifier; and

wherein an inductance of each Nth section is greater than an inductance of each (N+1)th section.

7. The attenuator network of claim 6 wherein the series resistance the series inductance of each section are connected in a Pi configuration with the first shunt resistance and the first shunt capacitance and a second shunt resistance and a second shunt capacitance.

8. The attenuator network of claim 6 wherein the series inductance and the series resistance of each section are connected to the first shunt resistance and the first shunt capacitance in a Tee configuration.

9. The attenuator network of claim 6 wherein each of the attenuator sections comprises only passive circuit elements.

10. The attenuator network of claim 6 comprising a chip, wherein each of the N sections is an on-chip component.

Assignments (18)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 060894/0437 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059363/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059863/0400 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059358/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 059333/0222 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2021
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 057935/0474 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 055671/0612 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053468/0705 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2020
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 053466/0011 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 24, 2020
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INC.; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 053311/0305 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 047103/0206 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2018
From: MICROCHIP TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED; SILICON STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ATMEL CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI STORAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 046426/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2018
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.), INC.; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; MICROSEMI SOC CORP.; MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP; MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS
Reel/Frame 046251/0391 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Feb 3, 2016
From: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC. (F/K/A LEGERITY, INC., ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (V.N.) INC., CENTELLAX, INC., AND ZARLINK SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.); MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION (F/K/A SYMMETRICON, INC.); MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION); MICROSEMI SOC CORP. (F/K/A ACTEL CORPORATION); MICROSEMI CORP. - POWER PRODUCTS GROUP (F/K/A ADVANCED POWER TECHNOLOGY INC.); MICROSEMI CORP. - RF INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS (F/K/A AML COMMUNICATIONS, INC.)
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 037691/0697 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-ANALOG MIXED SIGNAL GROUP, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SOC CORP., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (F/K/A VITESSE SEMICONDUCTOR CORPORATION), A DELAWARE CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-MEMORY AND STORAGE SOLUTIONS (F/K/A WHITE ELECTRONIC DESIGNS CORPORATION), AN INDIANA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037558/0711 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2015
From: MICROSEMI CORPORATION; MICROSEMI CORP.-ANALOG MIXED SIGNAL GROUP; MICROSEMI SEMICONDUCTOR (U.S.) INC.; MICROSEMI SOC CORP.; MICROSEMI FREQUENCY AND TIME CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 035477/0057 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2014
From: CENTELLAX, INC
To: MICROSEMI CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 033990/0268 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2012
From: MEYER, JEFFREY W.; ORR, JERRY
To: CENTELLAX, INC.
Reel/Frame 028368/0505 →