Bias circuitry for stacked transistor power amplifier stages

Claim 2

An amplifier comprising, in combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having emitter, base and collector electrodes, each having the same common-emitter forward current gain denominated beta; first and second terminals for the application of an energizing potential therebetween and a third terminal, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal, said first transistor collector electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode each being connected to said third terminal, said second transistor collector electrode being connected to said second terminal; auxiliary transistor means, including emitter electrode means and collector electrode means and base electrode means, and being thermally coupled to said first and second transistors; means connected between the emitter electrode means and collector electrode means of said auxiliary transistor means for causing a constant current flow therebetween within said auxiliary transistor means; and first and second current amplifier means, each having a constant and temperature-independent current gain of substantially equal value to the current gain of the other, each having an input circuit connected to the base electrode means of said auxiliary transistor meaNs to receive an input current therefrom, and each having an output circuit for responding to its input current to provide an oppositely directed output current, the output currents being respectively applied to separate ones of the base electrodes of said first and said second transistors.

Claim 3

An amplifier comprising, in combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having emitter, base and collector electrodes, each having the same common-emitter forward current gain denominated beta; first and second terminals for the application of an energizing potential therebetween and a third terminal, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal, said first transistor collector electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode each being connected to said third terminal, said second transistor collector electrode being connected to said second terminal; auxiliary transistor means, including emitter electrode means and collector electrode means and base electrode means, and being thermally coupled to said first and second transistors; means connected between the emitter electrode means and collector electrode means of said auxiliary transistor means for causing a constant current flow therebetween within said auxiliary transistor means; and first and second current amplifier means, each having a constant and temperature-independent current gain of substantially equal value to the current gain of the other, each having an input circuit connected to the base electrode means of said auxiliary transistor meaNs to receive an input current therefrom, and each having an output circuit for responding to its input current to provide an oppositely directed output current, the output currents being respectively applied to separate ones of the base electrodes of said first and said second transistors.

Claim 4

An amplifier comprising, in combination: first and second transistors of the same conductivity type, each having emitter, base and collector electrodes, each having the same common-emitter forward current gain denominated beta; first and second terminals for the application of an energizing potential therebetween and a third terminal, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal, said first transistor collector electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode each being connected to said third terminal, said second transistor collector electrode being connected to said second terminal; auxiliary transistor means, including emitter electrode means and collector electrode means and base electrode means, and being thermally coupled to said first and second transistors; means connected between the emitter electrode means and collector electrode means of said auxiliary transistor means for causing a constant current flow therebetween within said auxiliary transistor means; and first and second current amplifier means, each having a constant and temperature-independent current gain of substantially equal value to the current gain of the other, each having an input circuit connected to the base electrode means of said auxiliary transistor meaNs to receive an input current therefrom, and each having an output circuit for responding to its input current to provide an oppositely directed output current, the output currents being respectively applied to separate ones of the base electrodes of said first and said second transistors.

Claim 5

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising: first and second and third and fourth transistors, of the same conductivity type, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, and all having substantially the same common-emitter forward current gain or beta, said third and said fourth transistors being thermally coupled respectively to said first transistor and to said second transistor; first and second terminals for the application of an energizing potential therebetween and a third terminal, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal, said first transistor collector electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode each being connected to said third terminal, said second transistor collector electrode being connected to said second terminal; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said third transistor for causing a substantially constant collector-to-emitter current flow of a fixed value through said third transistor thereby to establish a base current flow for said third transistor inversely proportional to its beta; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said fourth transistor for causing a substantially constant collector-to-emitter current flow also of said fixed value through said fourth transistor thereby to establish a base current flow for said fourth transistor inversely proportional to its beta; and first and second current amplifier means, each having a constant and temperature-independent current gain of substantially equal value to the current gain of the other, having respective input circuits connected respectively to said third transistor base electrode and having respective output circuits, the output circuit of said first amplifier means being connected to said first transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of said third transistor base current into its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said first transistor base electrode, and the output circuit of said second current amplifier means being connected to said second transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of said fourth transistor base current into its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said second transistor base electrode.

Claim 6

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising: first and second and third and fourth transistors, of the same conductivity type, each having base and emitter and collector electrodes, and all having substantially the same common-emitter forward current gain or beta, said third and said fourth transistors being thermally coupled respectively to said first transistor and to said second transistor; first and second terminals for the application of an energizing potential therebetween and a third terminal, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal, said first transistor collector electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode each being connected to said third terminal, said second transistor collector electrode being connected to said second terminal; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said third transistor for causing a substantially constant collector-to-emitter current flow of a fixed value through said third transistor thereby to establish a base current flow for said third transistor inversely proportional to its beta; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said fourth transistor for causing a substantially constant collector-to-emitter current flow also of said fixed value through said fourth transistor thereby to establish a base current flow for said fourth transistor inversely proportional to its beta; and first and second current amplifier means, each having a constant and temperature-independent current gain of substantially equal value to the current gain of the other, having respective input circuits connected respectively to said third transistor base electrode and having respective output circuits, the output circuit of said first amplifier means being connected to said first transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of said third transistor base current into its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said first transistor base electrode, and the output circuit of said second current amplifier means being connected to said second transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of said fourth transistor base current into its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said second transistor base electrode.

Claim 7

A quasi-linear amplifier as set forth in claim 2 wherein each of said first and said second current amplifier means comprises: input and output and common terminals, said input and said common terminals for connection to the input circuit of the current amplifier and said output and said common terminals for connection to the output circuit of the current amplifier; input and output transistors having collector electrodes respectively connected to said input and said output terminals, each having an emitter electrode connected to said common terminal, and each having a base electrode; and negative feedback means coupling said input terminal to the base electrodes of said input and said output transistors.

Claim 8

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising: first and second and third transistors of the same conductivity type each having base and emitter and collector electrodes and all having substantially the same common emitter forward current gain or beta, said third transistor being thermally coupled to said first and said second transistors; first and second terminals for the application of an energizing potential therebetween and a third terminal, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal, said first transistor collector electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode each being connected to said third terminal, said seCond transistor collector electrode being connected to said second terminal; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said third transistor, for causing a substantially constant collector-to-emitter current flow through said third transistor, thereby to establish a base current flow for said third transistor inversely proportional to its beta; and first and second current amplifier means, each having a constant and temperature-independent current gain of substantially equal value to the current gain of the other, each having an input circuit and each having an output circuit, said input circuits of said first and said second current amplifier means each connected to receive as an input current a similar portion of the base current flow of said third transistor, the output circuit of said first current amplifier means being connected to said first transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of input current in its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said first transistor base electrode, and the output circuit of said second current amplifier means being connected to said second transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of input current in its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said second transistor base electrode.

Claim 9

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising: first and second and third transistors of the same conductivity type each having base and emitter and collector electrodes and all having substantially the same common emitter forward current gain or beta, said third transistor being thermally coupled to said first and said second transistors; first and second terminals for the application of an energizing potential therebetween and a third terminal, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal, said first transistor collector electrode and said second transistor emitter electrode each being connected to said third terminal, said seCond transistor collector electrode being connected to said second terminal; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said third transistor, for causing a substantially constant collector-to-emitter current flow through said third transistor, thereby to establish a base current flow for said third transistor inversely proportional to its beta; and first and second current amplifier means, each having a constant and temperature-independent current gain of substantially equal value to the current gain of the other, each having an input circuit and each having an output circuit, said input circuits of said first and said second current amplifier means each connected to receive as an input current a similar portion of the base current flow of said third transistor, the output circuit of said first current amplifier means being connected to said first transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of input current in its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said first transistor base electrode, and the output circuit of said second current amplifier means being connected to said second transistor base electrode and responding to the flow of input current in its input circuit to supply an oppositely directed output current to said second transistor base electrode.

Claim 10

A quasi-linear amplifier as set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said first and said second current amplifier means comprises: an input, an output and a common terminals, said input and said common terminals for connection to the input circuit of the current amplifier and said output and said common terminals for connection to the output circuit of the current amplifier; an input and an output transistors having collector electrodes respectively connected to said input and said output terminals, each having an emitter electrode connected to said common terminal, and each having a base electrode; and negative feedback means coupling said input terminal to the base electrodes of said input and said output transistors.

Claim 11

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising, in combination: first and second terminals for receiving an energizing potential therebetween; first and second transistors and a third transistor thermally coupled therewith, each having a base and an emitter and a collector electrode, and all having substantially the same common-emitter forward current gain or beta, the collector electrode of said first transistor being connected to said first terminal, the emitter electrode of said second transistor being connected to said second terminal; an output signal terminal to which the emitter electrode of said first transistor and the collector electrode of said second transistor are connected; fourth and fifth and sixth similar transistors, each having a base and an emitter electrode with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode, said fourth transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal; means connecting said fifth transistor as a first diode between said fourth transistor base electrode and said first terminal; an input signal terminal to which is connected said fourth transistor base electrode and said sixth transistor emitter electrode; means connecting the collector electrodes of said fourth and said sixth transistors, respectively, to separate ones of said base electrodes of said first and said second transistors; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said third transistor for regulating the current through its collector-to-emitter path to substantially constant value thereby to cause said third transistor to have base current flow to be inversely related to its beta; seventh and eighth transistors each having a collector electrode and an emitter electrode and a base electrode and each having its base electrode connected to its collector electrode to form a diode means between its collector electrode and its emitter electrode, both said diode means being included in a serial connection connected between said third transistor base electrode and said first terminal and poled for forward conduction of the base current flow of said third transistor, whereby a bias potential is developed across said series connection responsive to the base current flow of said third transistor; and means for direct coupling said bias potential to be applied between said fourth transistor base electrode and said first terminal.

Claim 12

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising, in combination: first and second terminals for receiving an energizing potential therebetween; first and second transistors and a third transistor thermally coupled therewith, each having a base and an emitter and a collector electrode, and all having substantially the same common-emitter forward current gain or beta, the collector electrode of said first transistor being connected to said first terminal, the emitter electrode of said second transistor being connected to said second terminal; an output signal terminal to which the emitter electrode of said first transistor and the collector electrode of said second transistor are connected; fourth and fifth and sixth similar transistors, each having a base and an emitter electrode with a base-emitter junction therebetween and each having a collector electrode, said fourth transistor emitter electrode being connected to said first terminal; means connecting said fifth transistor as a first diode between said fourth transistor base electrode and said first terminal; an input signal terminal to which is connected said fourth transistor base electrode and said sixth transistor emitter electrode; means connecting the collector electrodes of said fourth and said sixth transistors, respectively, to separate ones of said base electrodes of said first and said second transistors; means connected between the collector and emitter electrodes of said third transistor for regulating the current through its collector-to-emitter path to substantially constant value thereby to cause said third transistor to have base current flow to be inversely related to its beta; seventh and eighth transistors each having a collector electrode and an emitter electrode and a base electrode and each having its base electrode connected to its collector electrode to form a diode means between its collector electrode and its emitter electrode, both said diode means being included in a serial connection connected between said third transistor base electrode and said first terminal and poled for forward conduction of the base current flow of said third transistor, whereby a bias potential is developed across said series connection responsive to the base current flow of said third transistor; and means for direct coupling said bias potential to be applied between said fourth transistor base electrode and said first terminal.

Claim 13

A quasi-linear amplifier as set forth in claim 6 wherein said means for direct coupling said bias potential includes: a ninth transistor being arranged for common-collector amplifier operation, having a base electrode connected to said third transistor base electrode and having an emitter electrode connected to said fourth transistor base electrode; and a tenth transistor having a collector electrode and an emitter electrode and a base electrode and having its base electrode connected to its collector electrode to form a diode means between its collector and its emitter electrode which diode means is included in said serial connection of the diode means provided by said seventh and eigth transistors.

Claim 14

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising: first and second terminals for receiving an energizing potential therebetween; an input signal terminal; an output signal terminal; first and second and third composite transistors, each having a base and an emitter and a collector electrodes, each including a transistor of a first conductivity type having collector and emitter electrodes respectively connected to its emitter and collector electrodes, each further including a transistor of a second conductivity type having base and emitter electrodes respectively connected to its base and emitter electrodes and having a collector electrode connected to the base electrode of its transistor of first conductivity type, the emitter electrode of said first composite transistor being connected to said first terminal, the collector electrode of said first composite transistor and the emitter electrode of said second composite transistor each being connected to said output signal terminal, the collector electrodes of said first and said third composite transistors each being connected to said second terminal; means thermally coupling said third composite transistor to each of said first and said second composite transistors so its temperature is the average between their temperatures; means for providing a regulated potential responsive to energizing potential received between said first and said second terminals; a resistive element connecting the emitter electrode of said third composite transistor to said means for providing a regulated potential; and a phase-splitting amplifier with first through eighth transistors each having a base and an emitter and a collector electrode, the base and collector electrodes of said first transistor and said fifth transistor base electrode being connected to the base electrode of said third composite transistor, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to the base and collector electrodes of said second transistor, said second transistor emitter electrode being connected to the base and collector electrodes of said third transistor and to said fourth transistor base electrode, the emitter electrodes of said third and fourth and seventh and eighth transistors being connected to said second terminal, said fifth transistor emitter electrode being connected to said fourth transistor collector electrode and to said sixth transistor base electrode, said fifth transistor collector electrode being connected to said first terminal, the base electrodes of said seventh and said eighth transistors and said seventh transistor collector electrode and said sixth transistor emitter electrode being connected to said input signal terminal, and the collector electrodes of said sixth and said eighth Transistors being respectively connected to separate ones of the base electrodes of said first and said second composite transistors.

Claim 15

A quasi-linear amplifier comprising: first and second terminals for receiving an energizing potential therebetween; an input signal terminal; an output signal terminal; first and second and third composite transistors, each having a base and an emitter and a collector electrodes, each including a transistor of a first conductivity type having collector and emitter electrodes respectively connected to its emitter and collector electrodes, each further including a transistor of a second conductivity type having base and emitter electrodes respectively connected to its base and emitter electrodes and having a collector electrode connected to the base electrode of its transistor of first conductivity type, the emitter electrode of said first composite transistor being connected to said first terminal, the collector electrode of said first composite transistor and the emitter electrode of said second composite transistor each being connected to said output signal terminal, the collector electrodes of said first and said third composite transistors each being connected to said second terminal; means thermally coupling said third composite transistor to each of said first and said second composite transistors so its temperature is the average between their temperatures; means for providing a regulated potential responsive to energizing potential received between said first and said second terminals; a resistive element connecting the emitter electrode of said third composite transistor to said means for providing a regulated potential; and a phase-splitting amplifier with first through eighth transistors each having a base and an emitter and a collector electrode, the base and collector electrodes of said first transistor and said fifth transistor base electrode being connected to the base electrode of said third composite transistor, said first transistor emitter electrode being connected to the base and collector electrodes of said second transistor, said second transistor emitter electrode being connected to the base and collector electrodes of said third transistor and to said fourth transistor base electrode, the emitter electrodes of said third and fourth and seventh and eighth transistors being connected to said second terminal, said fifth transistor emitter electrode being connected to said fourth transistor collector electrode and to said sixth transistor base electrode, said fifth transistor collector electrode being connected to said first terminal, the base electrodes of said seventh and said eighth transistors and said seventh transistor collector electrode and said sixth transistor emitter electrode being connected to said input signal terminal, and the collector electrodes of said sixth and said eighth Transistors being respectively connected to separate ones of the base electrodes of said first and said second composite transistors.