RF amplifier, RF mixer and RF receiver

Claim 2

An RF (radio frequency) amplifier fabricated on a silicon monolithic integrated circuit, the amplifier comprising: a transformer having first and second windings which are microstrip inductor elements provided by a layer of metallization on top of a dielectric layer formed on a low resistivity silicon substrate, the first and second windings being mutually and inductively coupled with each other, the microstrip inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer; a transistor formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, the transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, first and second voltages being supplied via the first and second windings of the transformer to the emitter and collector of the transistor, respectively; input means for coupling an RF input signal to the base of the transistor; and output means for providing an amplified output signal from the collector of the transistor.

Claim 3

The RF amplifier of claim 1, wherein the input means comprises a first inductive element for coupling the RF input signal to the base of the transistor.

Claim 4

The RF amplifier of claim 2, wherein the input means further comprises an capacitive element which is connected across the first inductive element and the first winding of the transformer.

Claim 5

The RF amplifier of claim 1, wherein with the mutually inductive coupling of the first and second windings of the transformer, negative feedback is applied from the collector to the emitter of the transistor, the amplifier gain depending upon the turns ratio of the first and second windings.

Claim 6

The RF amplifier of claim 1, wherein the output means comprises a second inductive element for coupling the amplified output signal to an output circuit.

Claim 7

The RF amplifier of claim 5, wherein the output circuit includes an output impedance matching element.

Claim 8

The RF amplifier of claim 1, further comprising a capacitive element which is coupled in parallel with the second winding of the transformer to form a resonant circuit.

Claim 9

The RF amplifier of claim 7, further comprising a resistive element which is coupled in parallel with the capacitive element and the second winding of the transformer.

Claim 10

The RF amplifier of claim 1, wherein the first and second voltages are the ground terminal voltage and a positive voltage, respectively.

Claim 11

The RF amplifier of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer.

Claim 12

An RF mixer fabricated on a silicon monolithic integrated circuit, the mixer comprising: a first differential transistor pair including first and second transistors formed in a low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the first and second transistors being coupled to each other; a second differential transistor pair including third and fourth transistors formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the third and fourth transistors being coupled to each other, the collectors of the third and fourth transistors being coupled to the collectors of the first and second transistors, respectively, the bases of the third and fourth transistors being coupled to the bases of the second and first transistors, respectively; means for coupling a local oscillation signal between the bases of the first and second transistors and between the bases of the fourth and third transistors; a first transformer of a balun type having primary and secondary windings which are microstrip inductor elements provided by a layer of metallization on top of a dielectric layer formed on the low resistivity silicon substrate, the microstrip inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer, the secondary winding being divided to two winding sections, the two winding sections of the secondary winding being connected in series between the coupled emitters of the first and second differential transistor pairs; current means coupled to the junction of the two divided winding sections of the secondary winding of the first transformer; and means for coupling a single-ended RF input signal across the primary winding of the first transformer, thereby a balanced signal being provided across the secondary winding of the first transformer in response to the RF input signal.

Claim 13

An RF mixer fabricated on a silicon monolithic integrated circuit, the mixer comprising: a first differential transistor pair including first and second transistors formed in a low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the first and second transistors being coupled to each other; a second differential transistor pair including third and fourth transistors formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the third and fourth transistors being coupled to each other, the collectors of the third and fourth transistors being coupled to the collectors of the first and second transistors, respectively, the bases of the third and fourth transistors being coupled to the bases of the second and first transistors, respectively; means for coupling a local oscillation signal between the bases of the first and second transistors and between the bases of the fourth and third transistors; a first transformer of a balun type having primary and secondary windings which are microstrip inductor elements provided by a layer of metallization on top of a dielectric layer formed on the low resistivity silicon substrate, the microstrip inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer, the secondary winding being divided to two winding sections, the two winding sections of the secondary winding being connected in series between the coupled emitters of the first and second differential transistor pairs; current means coupled to the junction of the two divided winding sections of the secondary winding of the first transformer; and means for coupling a single-ended RF input signal across the primary winding of the first transformer, thereby a balanced signal being provided across the secondary winding of the first transformer in response to the RF input signal.

Claim 14

The RF mixer of claim 11, wherein the current means includes a fifth transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the collector being connected to the junction of the two divided winding sections of the secondary winding of the first transformer, the collector current being controlled by a voltage fed to the base of the fifth transistor.

Claim 15

The RF mixer of claim 11, further comprising capacitive elements forming a resonant circuit with the primary and secondary windings of the first transformer.

Claim 16

The RF mixer of claim 11, further comprising inductive load means including a second transformer which has primary and secondary windings, the primary winding being divided to two winding sections, each section being coupled to the collectors of the first and fourth transistors, respectively.

Claim 17

The RF mixer of claim 14, wherein the primary and secondary windings of the second transformer are microstrip inductor elements provided by the layer of metallization on top of the dielectric layer formed on the low resistivity silicon substrate, the micro inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer.

Claim 18

The RF mixer of claim 11, further comprising an impedance matching element which is connected between the bases of the first and second transistors of the first differential transistor pair and between the bases of the fourth and third transistors of the second differential transistor pair, the differential local oscillation signal being fed across the impedance matching element.

Claim 19

The RF mixer of claim 11, wherein the dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer.

Claim 20

An RF receiver fabricated on a silicon monolithic integrated circuit, the receiver comprising: a first transformer having first and second windings which are microstrip inductor elements provided by a layer of metallization on top of a dielectric layer formed on a low resistivity silicon substrate, the micro inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer mutually and inductively coupled with each other; a first transistor formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, the first transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, first and second voltages being supplied via the first and second windings of the first transformer to the emitter and collector of the first transistor, respectively; a first differential transistor pair including second and third transistors formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the second and third transistors being coupled to each other; a second differential transistor pair including fourth and fifth transistors formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the fourth and fifth transistors being coupled to each other, the collectors of the fourth and fifth transistors being coupled to the collectors of the second and third transistors, respectively, the bases of the fourth and fifth transistors being coupled to the bases of the third and second transistors, respectively; a second transformer of a balun type having primary and secondary windings which are microstrip inductor elements provided by the layer of metallization on top of the dielectric layer formed on the low resistivity silicon substrate, the micro inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer, the secondary winding being divided to two winding sections, the two winding sections of the secondary winding being connected in series between the coupled emitters of the first and second differential transistor pairs; current means connected to the junction of the two divided winding sections of the secondary winding of the second transformer; means for coupling a differential local oscillation signal between the bases of the second and third transistors and between the bases of the fifth and fourth transistors; means for coupling an RF input signal to the base of the first transistor; and means for coupling an amplified signal from the collector of the first transistor across the primary winding of the second transformer, thereby a balanced signal being provided across the secondary winding of the second transformer, in which a mixed signal of the RF input signal and the local oscillation signal is provided from the collectors of the second and the fifth transistors.

Claim 21

An RF receiver fabricated on a silicon monolithic integrated circuit, the receiver comprising: a first transformer having first and second windings which are microstrip inductor elements provided by a layer of metallization on top of a dielectric layer formed on a low resistivity silicon substrate, the micro inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer mutually and inductively coupled with each other; a first transistor formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, the first transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, first and second voltages being supplied via the first and second windings of the first transformer to the emitter and collector of the first transistor, respectively; a first differential transistor pair including second and third transistors formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the second and third transistors being coupled to each other; a second differential transistor pair including fourth and fifth transistors formed in the low resistivity silicon substrate, each transistor having a base, a collector and an emitter, the emitters of the fourth and fifth transistors being coupled to each other, the collectors of the fourth and fifth transistors being coupled to the collectors of the second and third transistors, respectively, the bases of the fourth and fifth transistors being coupled to the bases of the third and second transistors, respectively; a second transformer of a balun type having primary and secondary windings which are microstrip inductor elements provided by the layer of metallization on top of the dielectric layer formed on the low resistivity silicon substrate, the micro inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer, the secondary winding being divided to two winding sections, the two winding sections of the secondary winding being connected in series between the coupled emitters of the first and second differential transistor pairs; current means connected to the junction of the two divided winding sections of the secondary winding of the second transformer; means for coupling a differential local oscillation signal between the bases of the second and third transistors and between the bases of the fifth and fourth transistors; means for coupling an RF input signal to the base of the first transistor; and means for coupling an amplified signal from the collector of the first transistor across the primary winding of the second transformer, thereby a balanced signal being provided across the secondary winding of the second transformer, in which a mixed signal of the RF input signal and the local oscillation signal is provided from the collectors of the second and the fifth transistors.

Claim 22

The RF receiver of claim 18, wherein the dielectric layer is a silicon dioxide layer.

Claim 23

The RF receiver of claim 18, further comprising load means including a third transformer having primary and secondary windings, the primary winding being divided to two winding sections, each winding section being coupled to the collectors of the second and fifth transistors, respectively.

Claim 24

The RF receiver of claim 20, wherein the primary and secondary windings of the third transformer are microstrip inductor elements provided by the layer of metallization on top of the dielectric layer formed on the low resistivity silicon substrate, the micro inductor elements being isolated from the silicon substrate by the dielectric layer.