A multiple-stage amplifier includes a driver stage die and a final stage die. The driver stage die includes a first type of semiconductor substrate (e.g., a silicon substrate), a first transistor, and an integrated portion of an interstage impedance matching circuit. A control terminal of the first transistor is electrically coupled to an RF signal input terminal of the driver stage die, and the integrated portion of the interstage impedance matching circuit is electrically coupled between a current-carrying terminal of the first transistor and an RF signal output terminal of the driver stage die. The second die includes a III-V semiconductor substrate (e.g., a GaN substrate) and a second transistor. A connection, which is a non-integrated portion of the interstage impedance matching circuit, is electrically coupled between the RF signal output terminal of the driver stage die and an RF signal input terminal of the final stage die.

A power amplifier includes initial-stage and output-stage amplifier circuits, and initial-stage and output-stage bias circuits. The initial-stage amplifier circuit includes a first high electron mobility transistor having a source electrically connected to a reference potential, and a gate to which a radio-frequency input signal is inputted, and a first heterojunction bipolar transistor having an emitter electrically connected to a drain of the first high electron mobility transistor, a base electrically connected to the reference potential in an alternate-current fashion, and a collector to which direct-current power is supplied and from which a radio-frequency signal is outputted. The output-stage amplifier circuit includes a second heterojunction bipolar transistor having an emitter electrically connected to the reference potential, a base to which the radio-frequency signal outputted from the first heterojunction bipolar transistor is inputted, and a collector to which direct-current power is supplied and from which a radio-frequency output signal is outputted.

Amplification device and processes capable of miniaturization in a device for performing linear amplification and switching amplification operations on incoming signals are provided. The amplifying device includes a first amplifying unit for amplifying an input signal and outputting a first output signal, the input switch unit connected in parallel with the first amplifying unit for performing a switching operation by an input signal and outputting a switch output signal, and a second amplifying unit for amplifying a first output signal or a switch output signal and outputting a second output signal, and the first amplifying unit or the input switch unit operates based on the type of the input signal.

An amplifier is configured in such a way that a first capacitor resonates at the frequency of a second harmonic wave included in a signal outputted from an amplifying element, a circuit including a second transmission line, the first capacitor, and a second capacitor resonates at the frequency of a third harmonic wave included in the signal outputted from the amplifying element, and also matches the impedance for a fundamental wave together with an impedance matching circuit.

A power amplifier module includes a first amplifier circuit that amplifies a radio frequency signal with a first gain corresponding to a first control signal to generate a first amplified signal; a second amplifier circuit that amplifies the first amplified signal with a second gain corresponding to a second control signal to generate a second amplified signal; and a control unit that generates the first control signal and the second control signal. The second control signal is a control signal for increasing a power-supply voltage for the second amplifier circuit as a peak-to-average power ratio of the radio frequency signal increases. The first control signal is a control signal for controlling the first gain of the first amplifier circuit so that a variation in the second gain involved in a variation in the power-supply voltage for the second amplifier circuit is compensated for.

An amplification circuit includes: an amplifier including a transistor that is connected between an input terminal and an output terminal; an input matching network that is connected between the input terminal and an input side of the amplifier and converts an impedance from a low impedance to a high impedance; a limiter circuit that is connected between a node between the input matching network and the input side of the amplifier, and ground and includes two diodes connected in opposite directions to each other; and a capacitor that is connected in series with the limiter circuit between the node and ground.

An amplifier for signal amplification, the amplifier comprising: a signal input arrangement; a signal output arrangement; a first transistor; a second transistor; and a third transistor, wherein: the first, second and third transistors are coupled to one another to form a transconductance cell, the transconductance cell is coupled to the signal input arrangement and the signal output arrangement, and the transconductance cell is operable to receive a first signal from the signal input arrangement, amplify the first signal and output an amplified first signal to the signal output arrangement. There is also disclosed a receiver incorporating the amplifier and methods of operating the amplifier.

A bi-directional active combiner and splitter using bi-directional variable gain amplifiers (BD_VGAs) is proposed. Advantages of the proposed bi-directional active combiner and splitter includes the following 1) compact sizefor each BD_VGA, cascode transistor pair is small and the same matching network is used by the cascode transistor pair for both directions; 2) high efficiencyno switching loss in signal path, only switched matching; 3) reduced passive trace loss and power consumptionsimplified signal interconnection; 4) active current combiningeliminates large size in the passive combiner; 5) high input-output isolationcascode and neutralization; 6) precise gain control and unequal combining or splittingchanging the gain of the BD_VGA; and 7) phase-invariant amplifier design.

A high frequency circuit includes a transmit terminal and a transmit and receive terminal, a power amplifier that amplifies a high frequency signal inputted from the transmit terminal and outputs the high frequency signal toward the transmit and receive terminal, and an output matching circuit that is positioned on a signal path connecting the power amplifier and the transmit and receive terminal and that optimizes the output load impedance of the power amplifier. The output matching circuit includes a matching circuit coupled to an output terminal of the power amplifier, another matching circuit, and a switch that changes a connection between the matching circuits. The power amplifier and the switch are formed at a single semiconductor IC. The matching circuits are formed outside the semiconductor IC.

A power amplifier module includes a power amplifier circuit and a control IC. The power amplifier circuit includes a bipolar transistor that amplifies power of an RF signal and outputs an amplified signal. The control IC includes an FET, which serves as a bias circuit that supplies a bias signal to the bipolar transistor. The FET is operable at a threshold voltage lower than that of the bipolar transistor, thereby making it possible to decrease the operating voltage of the power amplifier module.