Switch circuit and method of switching radio frequency signals

US7860499B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation · US

Inventors

• Mark L. Burgener · San Diego, US
• James S. Cable · Del Mar, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 1, 2008
• Grant date: Dec 28, 2010
• Expiry date: May 26, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H03K2017/0803
• WIPO field: Basic communication processes
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An RF switch circuit and method for switching RF signals that may be fabricated using common integrated circuit materials such as silicon, particularly using insulating substrate technologies. The RF switch includes switching and shunting transistor groupings to alternatively couple RF input signals to a common RF node, each controlled by a switching control voltage (SW) or its inverse (SW), which are approximately symmetrical about ground. The transistor groupings each comprise one or more insulating gate FET transistors connected together in a “stacked” series channel configuration, which increases the breakdown voltage across the series connected transistors and improves RF switch compression. A fully integrated RF switch is described including control logic and a negative voltage generator with the RF switch elements. In one embodiment, the fully integrated RF switch includes an oscillator, a charge pump, CMOS logic circuitry, level-shifting and voltage divider circuits, and an RF buffer circuit.