Integrated solid state microwave power generation modules

1. A microwave power generation module comprising:

a substrate having a first surface;

an amplifier arrangement that includes a transistor with a transistor input and a transistor output;

an impedance matching element formed from a first planar conductive structure that is coupled to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the first planar conductive structure has a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the proximal end is electrically coupled to the transistor output; and

a resonant element coupled directly to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the resonant element has a proximal end electrically coupled to the distal end of the first planar conductive structure, the resonant element is configured to radiate electromagnetic energy having a microwave frequency in a range of 800 megahertz (MHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz), and the resonant element forms at least a portion of a patch antenna, and

wherein a combination of the impedance matching element and the resonant element is configured to perform a first impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor and an impedance of an air cavity, and

wherein the transistor includes a gate contact that functions as the transistor input, a source contact, and a drain contact that functions as the transistor output, and wherein the microwave power generation module further comprises a plurality of wirebonds electrically coupled between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, an input terminal, and the plurality of wirebonds coupled between the input terminal and the gate contact,

wherein an output impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the drain contact of the transistor such that the output impedance matching network is located between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the output impedance matching network, and wherein the output impedance matching network is configured to perform a second impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor at the transistor output and an impedance of the impedance matching element, and

wherein an input impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the gate contact of the transistor such that the input impedance matching network is located between the input terminal and the gate contact, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the input impedance matching network, and wherein the input impedance matching network is configured to perform a third impedance transformation between an impedance of additional circuitry coupled to the input terminal and an impedance of the transistor at the gate contact.

2. A microwave power generation module comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a dielectric;

an amplifier arrangement that includes a transistor with a transistor input and a transistor output;

an impedance matching element formed from a first planar conductive structure that is coupled to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the first planar conductive structure has a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the proximal end is electrically coupled to the transistor output; and

a resonant element coupled directly to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the resonant element has a proximal end electrically coupled to the distal end of the first planar conductive structure, and the resonant element is configured to radiate electromagnetic, energy having a microwave frequency in a range of 800 megahertz (MHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz), wherein the resonant element forms a portion of a patch antenna that also includes a ground plane that is separated from the resonant element by the dielectric of the substrate, and

wherein a combination of the impedance matching element and the resonant element is configured to perform a first impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor and an impedance of an air cavity, and

wherein the transistor includes a gate contact that functions as the transistor input, a source contact, and a drain contact that functions as the transistor output, and wherein the microwave power generation module further comprises a plurality of wirebonds electrically coupled between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, an input terminal, and the plurality of wirebonds coupled between the input terminal and the gate contact,

wherein an output impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the drain contact of the transistor such that the output impedance matching network is located between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the output impedance matching network, and wherein the output impedance matching network is configured to perform a second impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor at the transistor output and an impedance of the impedance matching element, and

wherein an input impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the gate contact of the transistor such that the input impedance matching network is located between the input terminal and the gate contact, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the input impedance matching network, and wherein the input impedance matching network is configured to perform a third impedance transformation between an impedance of additional circuitry coupled to the input terminal and an impedance of the transistor at the gate contact.

3. The microwave power generation module of claim 1 ,

wherein the impedance matching element and the resonant element are integrally formed portions of a conductive layer formed on the first surface of the substrate.

4. A microwave power generation module comprising:

a substrate having a first surface;

an oscillator sub-system that includes

an amplifier arrangement that includes a transistor with a transistor input and a transistor output, and

resonant circuitry along a feedback path between the transistor output and the transistor input, wherein a resonant frequency of the resonant circuitry is about 2.45 gigahertz (GHz),

an input impedance matching network,

an output impedance matching network;

an impedance matching element formed from a first planar conductive structure coupled to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the first planar conductive structure has a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the proximal end is electrically coupled to the transistor output; and

a resonant element coupled directly to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the resonant element has a proximal end electrically coupled to the distal end of the first planar conductive structure, and the resonant element is configured to radiate electromagnetic energy having the microwave frequency, and

wherein a combination of the impedance matching element and the resonant element is configured to perform a first impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor and an impedance of an air cavity, and

wherein the transistor includes a gate contact that functions as the transistor input, a source contact, and a drain contact that functions as the transistor output, and wherein the microwave power generation module further comprises a plurality of wirebonds electrically coupled between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, an input terminal, and the plurality of wirebonds coupled between the input terminal and the gate contact,

wherein the output impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the drain contact of the transistor such that the output impedance matching network is located between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the output impedance matching network, and wherein the output impedance matching network is configured to perform a second impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor at the transistor output and an impedance of the impedance matching element, and

wherein the input impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the gate contact of the transistor such that the input impedance matching network is located between the input terminal and the gate contact, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the input impedance matching network, and wherein the input impedance matching network is configured to perform a third impedance transformation between an impedance of additional circuitry coupled to the input terminal and an impedance of the transistor at the gate contact.

5. The microwave power generation module of claim 1 , further comprising:

bias circuitry coupled to an RF null point located between the transistor output and a distal end of the resonant element.

6. A microwave system comprising:

a structural component; and

a microwave power generation module coupled to the structural component, wherein the microwave power generation module includes

a substrate having a first surface and a dielectric;

an amplifier arrangement that includes a transistor with a transistor input and a transistor output,

an impedance matching element formed from a first planar conductive structure coupled to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the first planar conductive structure has a proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the proximal end is electrically coupled to the transistor output, and

a resonant element coupled directly to the first surface of the substrate, wherein the resonant element has a proximal end electrically coupled to the distal end of the first planar conductive structure, the resonant element is configured to radiate electromagnetic energy having a microwave frequency in a range of 800 megahertz (MHz) to 300 gigahertz (GHz), and the resonant element forms at east a portion of a patch antenna, and

wherein a combination of the impedance matching element and the resonant element is configured to perform a first impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor and an impedance of an air cavity, and

wherein the transistor includes a gate contact that functions as the transistor input, a source contact, and a drain contact that functions as the transistor output, and wherein the microwave power generation module further comprises a plurality of wirebonds electrically coupled between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, an input terminal, and the plurality of wirebonds coupled between the input terminal and the gate contact,

wherein an output impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the drain contact of the transistor such that the output impedance matching network is located between the drain contact and the proximal end of the first planar conductive structure, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the output impedance matching network, and wherein the output impedance matching network is configured to perform a second impedance transformation between an impedance of the transistor at the transistor output and an impedance of the impedance matching element, and

wherein an input impedance matching network electrically coupled directly to the gate contact of the transistor such that the input impedance matching network is located between the input terminal and the gate contact, wherein the plurality of wirebonds forms a portion of the input impedance matching network, and wherein the input impedance matching network is configured to perform a third impedance transformation between an impedance of additional circuitry coupled to the input terminal and an impedance of the transistor at the gate contact.

7. The microwave system of claim 6 , wherein the microwave system is a microwave oven, and the microwave system further comprises:

a heating chamber at least partially defined by one or more chamber walls, wherein a chamber wall of the one or more chamber walls includes an opening, and

wherein the resonant element is substantially aligned with the opening so that, during operation of the microwave oven, a substantial portion of the energy radiated by the resonant element passes through the opening into the heating chamber.

8. The microwave system of claim 6 , wherein the microwave power generation module further comprises:

bias circuitry configured to provide a bias voltage to the transistor; and

a power supply electrically coupled to the bias circuitry and configured to selectively provide a source voltage to the bias circuitry.

9. The microwave system of claim 8 , further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of a portion of the microwave power generation module; and

temperature compensation circuitry configured to adjust the bias voltage based on the temperature.

10. The microwave oven of claim 8 , further comprising:

power detection circuitry configured to detect signal power, signal reflections, or both, and to adjust the operation of the bias circuitry according to the detected signal power, signal reflections, or both.

11. The microwave system of claim 6 , further comprising:

resonant circuitry along a feedback path between the transistor output and the transistor input, wherein a resonant frequency of the resonant circuitry is the microwave frequency.