An electronic device and method thereof of are provided to prevent burnout due to overcurrent. An electronic device includes a power amplifier configured to amplify a transmission signal; a battery configured to provide a bias voltage to the at least one power amplifier; and an overcurrent protection circuit configured to prevent overcurrent from flowing through the power amplifier. The overcurrent protection circuit includes a configurer configured to configure a reference current value, based on the power amplifier; a measurer configured to measure a bias current value due to the bias voltage; a comparator configured to compare the measured bias current value with the reference current value; and a controller configured to recognize overcurrent flowing through the power amplifier and control provision of the bias voltage, based on a result of the comparison.

Microwave amplifiers tolerant to electrical overstress are provided. In certain embodiments, a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) includes a signal pad that receives a radio frequency (RF) signal, a ground pad, a balun including a primary section that receives the RF signal and a secondary section that outputs a differential RF signal, an amplifier that amplifies the differential RF signal, and a plurality of decoupling elements, some of them electrically connected between the primary section and the ground pad, others electrically connected in the secondary section to a plurality of the amplifier's nodes, and operable to protect the amplifier from electrical overstress. Such electrical overstress events can include electrostatic discharge (ESD) events, such as field-induced charged-device model (FICDM) events, as well as other types of overstress conditions.

A power amplification circuit may comprise a power distributor configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and output a first RF signal and a second RF signal, a first power amplifier configured to receive the first RF signal from the power distributor and amplify the first RF signal based on a first bias, a second power amplifier configured to receive the second RF signal from the power distributor and amplify the second RF signal based on a second bias, an impedance matching circuit configured to receive the first RF signal amplified by the first power amplifier and the second RF signal amplified by the second power amplifier, and a protection circuit configured to identify a current input to a bias terminal of the second power amplifier and, control a magnitude of the current input to the bias terminal based on the identified input current.

A power amplification circuit may comprise a power distributor configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) signal and output a first RF signal and a second RF signal, a first power amplifier configured to receive the first RF signal from the power distributor and amplify the first RF signal based on a first bias, a second power amplifier configured to receive the second RF signal from the power distributor and amplify the second RF signal based on a second bias, an impedance matching circuit configured to receive the first RF signal amplified by the first power amplifier and the second RF signal amplified by the second power amplifier, and a protection circuit configured to identify a current input to a bias terminal of the second power amplifier and, control a magnitude of the current input to the bias terminal based on the identified input current.

An amplifier circuit comprising a power amplifier and a protection circuit coupled to the power amplifier. The protection circuit is configured to detect an overdrive condition and, in response to detecting an overdrive condition, apply a clamping status to the protection circuit to reduce a bias current to the power amplifier. The protection circuit has a capacitor and a recovery circuit including: a sensing component configured to monitor a change of charging and discharging currents to and from the capacitor respectively during the clamping status; a first device configured to set a time constant of the recovery circuit; and a second device configured to reset the protection circuit to remove the clamping status when the change of charging or discharging current is beyond a predetermined threshold.

An amplifier circuit comprising a power amplifier and a protection circuit coupled to the power amplifier. The protection circuit is configured to detect an overdrive condition and, in response to detecting an overdrive condition, apply a clamping status to the protection circuit to reduce a bias current to the power amplifier. The protection circuit has a capacitor and a recovery circuit including: a sensing component configured to monitor a change of charging and discharging currents to and from the capacitor respectively during the clamping status; a first device configured to set a time constant of the recovery circuit; and a second device configured to reset the protection circuit to remove the clamping status when the change of charging or discharging current is beyond a predetermined threshold.

A circuit element is formed on a substrate made of a compound semiconductor. A bonding pad is disposed on the circuit element so as to at least partially overlap the circuit element. The bonding pad includes a first metal film and a second metal film formed on the first metal film. A metal material of the second metal film has a higher Young's modulus than a metal material of the first metal film.

A circuit element is formed on a substrate made of a compound semiconductor. A bonding pad is disposed on the circuit element so as to at least partially overlap the circuit element. The bonding pad includes a first metal film and a second metal film formed on the first metal film. A metal material of the second metal film has a higher Young's modulus than a metal material of the first metal film.

Disclosed is an integrated circuit amplifier having a power transistor with a signal/bias input terminal, a first high current terminal, and a second high current terminal, and thermal protection circuitry with a sensor transistor having a sensor control terminal, a sensor output terminal, and a sensor current terminal coupled to a fixed voltage node. Sensor bias circuitry includes a sensor bias terminal coupled to the sensor control terminal, wherein the sensor bias circuitry is configured to generate a temperature set point at which a sensor output voltage at the sensor output terminal drops at least 50% when the temperature of the sensor transistor is above the temperature set point. Shutdown circuitry coupled between the sensor output terminal and the signal/bias input terminal is configured to reduce a bias signal at the signal/bias terminal in response to the at least 50% drop in sensor output voltage.

Disclosed is an integrated circuit amplifier having a power transistor with a signal/bias input terminal, a first high current terminal, and a second high current terminal, and thermal protection circuitry with a sensor transistor having a sensor control terminal, a sensor output terminal, and a sensor current terminal coupled to a fixed voltage node. Sensor bias circuitry includes a sensor bias terminal coupled to the sensor control terminal, wherein the sensor bias circuitry is configured to generate a temperature set point at which a sensor output voltage at the sensor output terminal drops at least 50% when the temperature of the sensor transistor is above the temperature set point. Shutdown circuitry coupled between the sensor output terminal and the signal/bias input terminal is configured to reduce a bias signal at the signal/bias terminal in response to the at least 50% drop in sensor output voltage.