IP Library Granted Patent US 9,900,001
Granted Patent B2
US 9,900,001 · App. 14/694,707 · Granted Feb 20, 2018

RF circuit with switch transistor with body connection

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,900,001
App. No.
14/694,707
Granted
Feb 20, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

In some method and apparatus embodiments, an RF circuit comprises a switch transistor having a source, a drain, a gate, and a body. A gate control voltage is applied to the gate of the switch transistor. A body control voltage is applied to the body of the switch transistor. The body control voltage is a positive bias voltage when the switch transistor is in an on state. In some embodiments, an RF circuit comprises a control voltage applied to the gate of the switch transistor through a first resistance and applied to the body of the switch transistor through a second resistance. The first resistance is different from the second resistance.

Claims (38)

1. A method comprising:

in a switching circuit, passing a Radio Frequency (RF) electrical signal from a first RF signal node to a second RF signal node through a first switch during an on state of the first switch, wherein the first switch includes a plurality of N-channel transistors coupling the first RF signal node to the second RF signal node, each of the transistors having a source, a drain, a gate, and a body;

during the on state of the first switch, applying a gate control voltage to respective gates of the transistors; and

during the on state of the first switch, applying a positive control bias to the respective bodies of the transistors, further wherein the positive control bias is greater than a built-in voltage of a p-n junction of the transistors, wherein the plurality of transistors are coupled source to drain from the first RF signal node to ground;

further wherein applying the gate control voltage and applying the positive control bias comprises producing the gate control voltage and the positive control bias as a single control voltage that is applied through a first resistance to the gates of the transistors and through a second resistance to the bodies of the transistors, wherein the first resistance is different from the second resistance; and

wherein the first resistance and the second resistance share a common circuit node.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

applying a negative control bias to the respective bodies of the transistors during an off state of the first switch.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

decoding control signals to produce decoded signals;

passing the decoded signals to a level shifter;

generating the single control voltage at the level shifter based on the decoded signals;

generating the gate control voltage and the positive control bias from the control voltage.

4. A Radio Frequency (RF) circuit comprising:

a first N-channel transistor;

a second N-channel transistor, wherein the first N-channel transistor and the second N-channel transistor are coupled source to drain from a RF signal node to ground;

a gate control voltage input coupled with gate terminals of the first N-channel transistor and second N-channel transistor, the gate control voltage input configured to apply a gate control voltage;

a body control voltage input coupled with a body terminal of the first N-channel transistor and a body terminal of the second N-channel transistor, the body control voltage input configured to apply a body control voltage, wherein the body control voltage is a positive bias voltage when the first N-channel transistor and second N-channel transistor are in an on state, further wherein the positive bias voltage is greater than a built-in voltage of a p-n junction of each of the first N-channel transistor and second N-channel transistors;

a voltage control source that produces the gate control voltage and the body control voltage as a single control voltage that is applied through a first resistance to the gate terminals of the first N-channel transistor and second N-channel transistor and through a second resistance to the body terminals of the first N-channel transistor and second N-channel transistor;

wherein the first resistance is different from the second resistance; and

wherein the first resistance and the second resistance share a common circuit node.

5. The RF circuit of claim 4 , wherein:

the positive bias voltage when the first N-channel transistor and second N-channel transistor are in the on state is greater than about 0.7 volts.

6. The RF circuit of claim 4 , wherein:

the positive bias voltage improves device linearity of the RF circuit when the first N-channel transistor and second N-channel transistor are in the on state.

7. The RF circuit of claim 6 , wherein:

the improved device linearity is a mitigated harmonic signal.

8. The RF circuit of claim 7 , wherein:

the harmonic signal is at three times a fundamental frequency of the RF circuit.

9. The RF circuit of claim 6 , wherein:

the improved device linearity is a mitigated intermodulation distortion.

10. The RF circuit of claim 4 , wherein the second resistance comprises:

a first resistor in series with the body terminal of the first N-channel transistor and coupled between the body control voltage input and the body terminal of the first N-channel transistor; and

a second resistor in series with the body terminal of the second N-channel transistor and coupled between the body control voltage input and the body terminal of the second N-channel transistor.

11. The RF circuit of claim 4 , wherein the voltage control source comprises:

a positive voltage generator;

a negative voltage generator; and

a voltage level shifter configured to operate under control of the positive voltage generator and the negative voltage generator.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 23, 2016
From: QUALCOMM SWITCH CORP.
To: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 038794/0663 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 16, 2015
From: SILANNA SEMICONDUCTOR U.S.A., INC.
To: QUALCOMM SWITCH CORP.
Reel/Frame 036877/0140 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 24, 2015
From: AUBAIN, MAX SAMUEL; KEMERLING, CLINT
To: SILANNA SEMICONDUCTOR U.S.A., INC.
Reel/Frame 035901/0661 →