Compact low noise amplifiers that have wide-band coverage while meeting necessary input matching and output matching characteristics. Embodiments include a wide-band, two-stage LNA with minimum degradation in performance compared to multiple narrow-band, single-stage LNAs. A generalized embodiment includes a first amplifier stage having a terminal coupled to a mutually coupled inductor circuit and to a second amplifier stage. The second amplifier stage includes a terminal coupled to the mutually coupled inductor circuit. The mutually coupled inductor circuit comprises electromagnetically coupled inductors L1, L2. Second terminals of the first and second amplifier stages are coupled to respective degeneration inductors. The electromagnetically coupled inductors L1, L2 of the inductor circuit substantially increase the output bandwidth of the LNA with minimum degradation in performance.

Compact low noise amplifiers that have wide-band coverage while meeting necessary input matching and output matching characteristics. Embodiments include a wide-band, two-stage LNA with minimum degradation in performance compared to multiple narrow-band, single-stage LNAs. A generalized embodiment includes a first amplifier stage having a terminal coupled to a mutually coupled inductor circuit and to a second amplifier stage. The second amplifier stage includes a terminal coupled to the mutually coupled inductor circuit. The mutually coupled inductor circuit comprises electromagnetically coupled inductors L1, L2. Second terminals of the first and second amplifier stages are coupled to respective degeneration inductors. The electromagnetically coupled inductors L1, L2 of the inductor circuit substantially increase the output bandwidth of the LNA with minimum degradation in performance.

Various methods and circuital arrangements for protection of an RF amplifier are presented. According to one aspect, the RF amplifier is part of switchable RF paths that may include at least one path with one or more attenuators or switches that can be used during normal operation to define different modes of operation of the at least one path. An RF level detector monitors a level of an RF signal during operation of any one of the switchable RF paths and may control the attenuators or switches to provide an attenuation of the RF signal according to a desired level of protection at an input and/or output of the RF amplifier. According to another aspect, the RF level detector may control a switch to force the RF signal through a different switchable RF path.

Various methods and circuital arrangements for protection of an RF amplifier are presented. According to one aspect, the RF amplifier is part of switchable RF paths that may include at least one path with one or more attenuators or switches that can be used during normal operation to define different modes of operation of the at least one path. An RF level detector monitors a level of an RF signal during operation of any one of the switchable RF paths and may control the attenuators or switches to provide an attenuation of the RF signal according to a desired level of protection at an input and/or output of the RF amplifier. According to another aspect, the RF level detector may control a switch to force the RF signal through a different switchable RF path.

The disclosure relates to a radio frequency oscillator, the radio frequency oscillator comprising a resonator circuit being resonant at an excitation of the resonator circuit in a differential mode and at an excitation of the resonator circuit in a common mode, wherein the resonator circuit has a differential mode resonance frequency at the excitation in the differential mode, and wherein the resonator circuit has a common mode resonance frequency at the excitation in the common mode, a first excitation circuit being configured to excite the resonator circuit in the differential mode to obtain a differential mode oscillator signal oscillating at the differential mode resonance frequency, and a second excitation circuit being configured to excite the resonator circuit in the common mode to obtain a common mode oscillator signal oscillating at the common mode resonance frequency.

The disclosure relates to a radio frequency oscillator, the radio frequency oscillator comprising a resonator circuit being resonant at an excitation of the resonator circuit in a differential mode and at an excitation of the resonator circuit in a common mode, wherein the resonator circuit has a differential mode resonance frequency at the excitation in the differential mode, and wherein the resonator circuit has a common mode resonance frequency at the excitation in the common mode, a first excitation circuit being configured to excite the resonator circuit in the differential mode to obtain a differential mode oscillator signal oscillating at the differential mode resonance frequency, and a second excitation circuit being configured to excite the resonator circuit in the common mode to obtain a common mode oscillator signal oscillating at the common mode resonance frequency.

A receiver front end amplifier capable of receiving and processing intraband non-contiguous carrier aggregate (CA) signals using multiple low noise amplifiers (LNAs) is disclosed herein. A cascode having a “common source” configured input FET and a “common gate” configured output FET can be turned on or off using the gate of the output FET. A first switch is provided that allows a connection to be either established or broken between the source terminal of the input FET of each LNA. Further switches used for switching degeneration inductors, gate capacitors, and gate to ground capacitors for each leg can be used to further improve the matching performance of the invention.

A receiver front end amplifier capable of receiving and processing intraband non-contiguous carrier aggregate (CA) signals using multiple low noise amplifiers (LNAs) is disclosed herein. A cascode having a “common source” configured input FET and a “common gate” configured output FET can be turned on or off using the gate of the output FET. A first switch is provided that allows a connection to be either established or broken between the source terminal of the input FET of each LNA. Further switches used for switching degeneration inductors, gate capacitors, and gate to ground capacitors for each leg can be used to further improve the matching performance of the invention.

Power amplifier devices and methods for fabricating power amplifier devices containing frontside heat extraction structures are disclosed. In embodiments, the power amplifier device includes a substrate, a radio frequency (RF) power die bonded to a die support surface of the substrate, and a frontside heat extraction structure further attached to the die support surface. The frontside heat extraction structure includes, in turn, a transistor-overlay portion in direct thermal contact with a frontside of the RF power die, a first heatsink coupling portion thermally coupled to a heatsink region of the substrate, and a primary heat extraction path extending from the transistor-overlay portion to the first heatsink coupling portion. The primary heat extraction path promotes conductive heat transfer from the RF power die to the heatsink region and reduce local temperatures within a transistor channel of the RF power die during operation of the power amplifier device.

Power amplifier devices and methods for fabricating power amplifier devices containing frontside heat extraction structures are disclosed. In embodiments, the power amplifier device includes a substrate, a radio frequency (RF) power die bonded to a die support surface of the substrate, and a frontside heat extraction structure further attached to the die support surface. The frontside heat extraction structure includes, in turn, a transistor-overlay portion in direct thermal contact with a frontside of the RF power die, a first heatsink coupling portion thermally coupled to a heatsink region of the substrate, and a primary heat extraction path extending from the transistor-overlay portion to the first heatsink coupling portion. The primary heat extraction path promotes conductive heat transfer from the RF power die to the heatsink region and reduce local temperatures within a transistor channel of the RF power die during operation of the power amplifier device.