Circuits and methods for improving IC yield during automated test equipment (ATE) calibration of circuit designs which require I.sub.DD calibration and use a closed feedback bias circuit, such as amplifier circuits. The circuit designs include bias branch/active circuit architectures where the active circuit includes one or more active devices. An example first embodiment uses an on-chip calibration switch between the on-chip grounds of a bias network and an active circuit comprising an amplifier. During calibration of the active circuit by the ATE, the calibration switch is closed, and after completion of calibration, the calibration switch is opened. An example second embodiment utilizes an active on-chip feedback loop calibration circuit to equalize voltages between the on-chip grounds of a bias network and an active circuit comprising an amplifier during calibration of the active circuit. Both embodiments mitigate or overcome miscalibration of active circuit current settings resulting from ATE test probe resistance.

A receiver includes an amplification block supporting carrier aggregation (CA). The amplification block includes a first amplifier circuit configured to receive a radio frequency (RF) input signal at a block node from an outside source, amplify the RF input signal, and output the amplified RF input signal as a first RF output signal. The first amplifier circuit includes a first amplifier configured to receive the RF input signal through a first input node to amplify the RF input signal, and a first feedback circuit coupled between the first input node and a first internal amplification node of the first amplifier to provide feedback to the first amplifier.

A dc coupled amplifier includes a pre-driver, and amplifier and a bias control circuit. The pre-driver is configured to receive one or more input signals and amplify the one or more input signals to create one or more pre-amplified signals. The amplifier has cascode configured transistors configured to receive and amplify the one or more pre-amplified signals to create one or more amplified signals, the amplifier further having an output driver termination element. The bias control circuit is connected between the pre-driver and the amplifier, the bias control circuit receiving at least one bias current from the output driver termination element of the amplifier, wherein the pre-driver, the amplifier and the bias control circuit are all formed on a same die.

Techniques are disclosed to allow for a switched capacitor digital power amplifier (PA) that operates using high supply voltage levels beyond twice the maximum voltage rating for any of the transistor terminals such as Vds/Vdg/Vsg.

Systems, methods and apparatus for practical realization of an integrated circuit comprising a stack of transistors operating as an RF amplifier are described. As stack height is increased, capacitance values of gate capacitors used to provide a desired distribution of an RF voltage at the output of the amplifier across the stack may decrease to values approaching parasitic/stray capacitance values present in the integrated circuit which may render the practical realization of the integrated circuit difficult. Coupling of an RF gate voltage at the gate of one transistor of the stack to a gate of a different transistor of the stack can allow for an increase in the capacitance value of the gate capacitor of the different transistor for obtaining an RF voltage at the gate of the different transistor according to the desired distribution.

Low noise amplifiers (LNAs) with low noise figure are provided. In certain embodiments, an LNA includes a single-ended LNA stage including an input for receiving a single-ended input signal from an antenna and an output for providing a single-ended amplified signal, a balun for converting the single-ended amplified signal to a differential signal, and a variable gain differential amplification stage for amplifying the differential signal from the balun. Implementing the LNA in this manner provides low noise figure, high gain, flexibility in controlling gain, and less sensitivity to ground/supply impedance.

A reconfigurable amplifier includes a first transistor having a gate coupled to an input of the reconfigurable amplifier, and a source coupled to a ground. The reconfigurable amplifier also includes a gate control circuit, and a second transistor having a gate coupled to the gate control circuit, a source coupled to a drain of the first transistor, and a drain coupled to an output of the reconfigurable amplifier, wherein the gate control circuit is configured to output a bias voltage to the gate of the second transistor in a cascode mode, and output a switch voltage to the gate of the second transistor in a non-cascode mode. The reconfigurable amplifier further includes a load coupled to the output of the reconfigurable amplifier.

An RF amplifier comprises a first ‘transconductance’ transistor (N.sub.CS) arranged to receive an RF input voltage (RFIN) at its gate terminal. A second ‘cascode’ transistor (N.sub.CG) has its source terminal connected to the drain terminal of the first transistor (N.sub.CS) at a node (MID). A feedback circuit portion is configured to measure a node voltage at the node (MID), to determine an average of the node voltage, to compare said average node voltage to a predetermined reference voltage (V.sub.BCG), and to generate a control voltage (CGGATE) dependent on the difference between the average node voltage and the predetermined reference voltage (V.sub.BCG). The feedback circuit portion applies the control voltage (CGGATE) to the gate terminal of the second transistor (N.sub.CG).

A monolithic integrated circuit (IC), and method of manufacturing same, that includes all RF front end or transceiver elements for a portable communication device, including a power amplifier (PA), a matching, coupling and filtering network, and an antenna switch to couple the conditioned PA signal to an antenna. An output signal sensor senses at least a voltage amplitude of the signal switched by the antenna switch, and signals a PA control circuit to limit PA output power in response to excessive values of sensed output. Stacks of multiple FETs in series to operate as a switching device may be used for implementation of the RF front end, and the method and apparatus of such stacks are claimed as subcombinations. An iClass PA architecture is described that dissipatively terminates unwanted harmonics of the PA output signal. A preferred embodiment of the RF transceiver IC includes two distinct PA circuits, two distinct receive signal amplifier circuits, and a four-way antenna switch to selectably couple a single antenna connection to any one of the four circuits.

An apparatus is disclosed for gain stabilization. In an example aspect, the apparatus includes an amplifier and a gain-stabilization circuit. The amplifier has a gain that is based on a bias voltage and an amplification control signal. The gain- stabilization circuit is coupled to the amplifier and includes a replica amplifier. The replica amplifier has a replica gain that is based on the bias voltage and the amplification control signal. The gain-stabilization circuit is configured to adjust at least one of the bias voltage or the amplification control signal based on a gain error associated with the replica amplifier.