Embodiments relate to sensing a current provided by a power supply circuit. The current sensing circuit includes a sense transistor for sensing the current provided by a main transistor, a driver for controlling a bias provided to the sense transistor and the main transistor, and a sense resistor for converting the sensed current to a voltage value. Moreover, the current sensing circuit includes a controller that modifies at least one of: (a) a resistance of the main transistor by adjusting the bias voltage provided by the driver, (b) a gain ratio between a load current and a sensing current by adjusting a number of individual devices that are active in the sense transistor, and (c) a resistance of the sense resistor.

A device includes a semiconductor die including a transistor. The transistor includes a plurality of parallel transistor elements. Each transistor element includes a drain region, a source region, and a gate region. The semiconductor die includes a first temperature sensor between a first transistor element in the plurality of transistor elements and a second transistor element in the plurality of transistor elements. The first temperature sensor is configured to generate a first output signal having a magnitude that is proportional to a temperature of the first temperature sensor.

A device includes a semiconductor die including a transistor. The transistor includes a plurality of parallel transistor elements. Each transistor element includes a drain region, a source region, and a gate region. The semiconductor die includes a first temperature sensor between a first transistor element in the plurality of transistor elements and a second transistor element in the plurality of transistor elements. The first temperature sensor is configured to generate a first output signal having a magnitude that is proportional to a temperature of the first temperature sensor.

An improved architecture for a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier, impedance matching network, and selector switch. One aspect of embodiments of the invention is splitting the functionality of a final stage impedance matching network (IMN) into two parts, comprising a base set of off-chip IMN components and an on-chip IMN tuning component. The on-chip IMN tuning component may be a digitally tunable capacitor (DTC). In one embodiment, an integrated circuit having a power amplifier, an on-chip IMN tuner, and a selector switch is configured to be coupled to an off-chip set of IMN components. In another embodiment, an integrated circuit having an on-chip IMN tuner and a selector switch is configured to be coupled through an off-chip set of IMN components to a separate integrated circuit having an RF power amplifier.

An improved architecture for a radio frequency (RF) power amplifier, impedance matching network, and selector switch. One aspect of embodiments of the invention is splitting the functionality of a final stage impedance matching network (IMN) into two parts, comprising a base set of off-chip IMN components and an on-chip IMN tuning component. The on-chip IMN tuning component may be a digitally tunable capacitor (DTC). In one embodiment, an integrated circuit having a power amplifier, an on-chip IMN tuner, and a selector switch is configured to be coupled to an off-chip set of IMN components. In another embodiment, an integrated circuit having an on-chip IMN tuner and a selector switch is configured to be coupled through an off-chip set of IMN components to a separate integrated circuit having an RF power amplifier.

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.

Apparatus and methods for an inverted Doherty amplifier operating at gigahertz frequencies are described. RF fractional bandwidth and signal bandwidth may be increased over a conventional Doherty amplifier configuration when impedance-matching components and an impedance inverter in an output network of the inverted Doherty amplifier are designed based on characteristics of the main and peaking amplifier and asymmetry factor of the amplifier.

A multiple-stage amplifier includes a driver stage transistor characterized by a first power density, and a final stage transistor characterized by a second power density that is larger than the first power density. A first drain bias circuit is coupled to a first drain terminal of the driver stage transistor, and is configured to provide a first drain bias voltage to the first drain terminal. A second drain bias circuit is coupled to a second drain terminal of the final stage transistor, and is configured to provide a second drain bias voltage to the second drain terminal, where the second drain bias voltage equals the first drain bias voltage. An interstage impedance matching circuit is coupled between the first drain terminal and a gate terminal of the final stage transistor. The multiple-stage amplifier may be included in a Doherty power amplifier, a transceiver, and/or a transceiver array.

A 3D integrated circuit (3D IC) chip is described. The 3D IC chip includes a die having a compound semiconductor high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) active device. The compound semiconductor HEMT active device is composed of compound semiconductor layers on a single crystal, compound semiconductor layer. The 3D IC chip also includes an acoustic device integrated in the single crystal, compound semiconductor layer. The 3D IC chip further includes a passive device integrated in back-end-of-line layers of the die on the single crystal, compound semiconductor layer.