In an example apparatus, a first transistor has a base terminal, a first current terminal and a second current terminal. The base terminal is coupled to an input voltage node. A second transistor has a control terminal, a third current terminal and a fourth current terminal. The third current terminal is coupled to the second current terminal. The fourth current terminal is coupled to a first resistor. A second resistor is coupled to the control terminal. An inductor is coupled between the first resistor and a ground terminal.

Circuits for protecting devices, such as gallium nitride (GaN) devices, and operating methods thereof are described. Such circuits may include a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of at least a portion of a device, and a phase shifter configured to shift the phase of the signal output by the device, when the sensed temperature is outside a safe temperature range, e.g., above a predefined temperature threshold. The phase may be shifted discretely or continuously. These circuits safeguard devices from damaging operating conditions to prolong the operating life of the protected devices.

According to the present disclosure, a circuit for cancelling an off-set voltage included in an output voltage of an electronic component includes: a first resistor having one end connected to a bias voltage terminal; a second resistor connected to the first resistor, and having one end connected to the bias voltage terminal; a third resistor having one end connected to the first resistor and the other end connected to a ground terminal; and a transistor having one end connected to the second resistor and the other end connected to the ground terminal, and applied with an output voltage including an off-set voltage from a sensor.

A circuit having (A) a transistor; (B) a bias circuit for providing setting a bias current for the transistor, the bias current having a current level in accordance with a reference current fed to the bias circuit; and (C) a bias current level controller, comprising: (i) a plurality of switches, each one of the switches comprises: a MOS FET and a GaN FET connected in a cascode configuration; and (ii) current source circuitry, comprising a plurality of current sources, each one of the current sources being connected between a voltage source and a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, the current source circuit combining currents produced by the current source in response a binary control signal fed to a gate of the MOS FET, the combined current providing the reference current fed to the bias circuit.

A RF control circuit is provided and includes a controller, a divider, and a RF sensor. The controller selects a RF, which is a frequency of a reference LO signal. The divider receives a first RF signal detected in a substrate processing chamber and outputs a second RF signal. The first RF signal is generated by a RF generator and supplied to the substrate processing chamber. The RF sensor includes a lock-in amplifier, which includes: a RF path that receives the second RF signal; a LO path that receives the reference LO signal; a first mixer that generates an IF signal based on the second RF signal and the reference LO signal; and a filter that filters the IF signal. The controller generates a control signal based on the filtered IF signal and transmits the control signal to the RF generator to adjust the first RF signal.

A RF control circuit is provided and includes a controller, a divider, and a RF sensor. The controller selects a RF, which is a frequency of a reference LO signal. The divider receives a first RF signal detected in a substrate processing chamber and outputs a second RF signal. The first RF signal is generated by a RF generator and supplied to the substrate processing chamber. The RF sensor includes a lock-in amplifier, which includes: a RF path that receives the second RF signal; a LO path that receives the reference LO signal; a first mixer that generates an IF signal based on the second RF signal and the reference LO signal; and a filter that filters the IF signal. The controller generates a control signal based on the filtered IF signal and transmits the control signal to the RF generator to adjust the first RF signal.

A circuit having (A) a transistor, (B) a bias circuit for providing setting a bias current for the transistor, the bias current having a current level in accordance with a reference current fed to the bias circuit; and (C) a bias current level controller, comprising: (i) a plurality of switches, each one of the switches comprises: a MOS FET and a GaN FET connected in a cascode configuration; and (ii) current source circuitry, comprising a plurality of current sources, each one of the current sources being connected between a voltage source and a corresponding one of the plurality of switches, the current source circuit combining currents produced by the current source in response a binary control signal fed to a gate of the MOS FET, the combined current providing the reference current fed to the bias circuit.

In an example apparatus, a first transistor has a base terminal, a first current terminal and a second current terminal. The base terminal is coupled to an input voltage node. A second transistor has a control terminal, a third current terminal and a fourth current terminal. The third current terminal is coupled to the second current terminal. The fourth current terminal is coupled to a first resistor. A second resistor is coupled to the control terminal. An inductor is coupled between the first resistor and a ground terminal.

An amplifier comprising a FET transistor, a bias resistor having a first terminal connected to a gate terminal of the FET transistor, a load resistor having a first terminal connected to a D terminal of the FET transistor, a DC-to-DC step-down converter with an input terminal connected to a supply voltage, and an output terminal connected to a second terminal of the load resistor, a two-pin current-to-voltage converter with a first pin connected to an S terminal of the FET transistor and a second pin connected to ground, and a comparator having a first pin connected to a positive supply voltage, a second pin connected to a negative supply voltage, a third (output) pin connected to a second terminal of the bias resistor, a fourth pin connected to a reference voltage, and a fifth pin connected to the first pin of the current-to-voltage converter.

Circuits for protecting devices, such as gallium nitride (GaN) devices, and operating methods thereof are described. Such circuits may include a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of at least a portion of a device, and a phase shifter configured to shift the phase of the signal output by the device, when the sensed temperature is outside a safe temperature range, e.g., above a predefined temperature threshold. The phase may be shifted discretely or continuously. These circuits safeguard devices from damaging operating conditions to prolong the operating life of the protected devices.