Monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) tolerant to electrical overstress are provided. In certain embodiments, a MMIC includes a signal pad that receives a radio frequency (RF) signal, and an RF circuit coupled to the RF signal pad. The RF circuit includes a transistor layout, an input field-effect transistor (FET) implemented using a first portion of a plurality of gate fingers of the transistor layout, and an embedded protection device electrically connected between a gate and a source of the input FET and implemented using a second portion of the plurality of gate fingers. The MMIC is tolerant to electrical overstress events, such as field-induced charged-device model (FICDM) events.

Microwave amplifiers tolerant to electrical overstress are provided. In certain embodiments, a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) includes a signal pad that receives a radio frequency (RF) signal, a ground pad, a balun including a primary section that receives the RF signal and a secondary section that outputs a differential RF signal, an amplifier that amplifies the differential RF signal, and a plurality of decoupling elements, some of them electrically connected between the primary section and the ground pad, others electrically connected in the secondary section to a plurality of the amplifier's nodes, and operable to protect the amplifier from electrical overstress. Such electrical overstress events can include electrostatic discharge (ESD) events, such as field-induced charged-device model (FICDM) events, as well as other types of overstress conditions.

Methods and systems for a pseudo-differential low-noise amplifier at Ku-band may comprise a low-noise amplifier (LNA) integrated on a semiconductor die, where the LNA comprises differential pair transistors with an embedded inductor tail integrated on the semiconductor die. The embedded inductor tail may comprise: a first inductor with a first terminal capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of a first transistor of the differential pair transistors and a second terminal of the first inductor coupled to second, third, and fourth inductors. The second inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the first transistor of the differential pair transistors, the fourth inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the second transistor of the differential pair transistors, and the third inductor may be capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of the second transistor of the differential pair transistors and also to ground. The second inductor may be embedded within the first inductor.

The invention relates to a mixer circuit, which includes a transconductance stage circuit, a switch stage circuit and a load stage circuit which are electrically connected in sequence. The transconductance stage circuit is used to access a radio frequency voltage signal and convert the radio frequency voltage signal into a radio frequency current signal The switch-level circuit is used to access the local oscillator signal and the radio frequency current signal, and the switch-level transistor is turned on by using the local oscillator signal; the load-level circuit is used to convert the intermediate frequency current signal into a voltage signal for output. In the present invention, the transconductance stage circuit adopts a transistor superposition technology structure, which improves the conversion gain of the mixer; at the same time, it uses a source degenerate inductance structure, which further improves the conversion gain and linearity of the circuit.

The invention relates to a mixer circuit, which includes a transconductance stage circuit, a switch stage circuit and a load stage circuit which are electrically connected in sequence. The transconductance stage circuit is used to access a radio frequency voltage signal and convert the radio frequency voltage signal into a radio frequency current signal The switch-level circuit is used to access the local oscillator signal and the radio frequency current signal, and the switch-level transistor is turned on by using the local oscillator signal; the load-level circuit is used to convert the intermediate frequency current signal into a voltage signal for output. In the present invention, the transconductance stage circuit adopts a transistor superposition technology structure, which improves the conversion gain of the mixer; at the same time, it uses a source degenerate inductance structure, which further improves the conversion gain and linearity of the circuit.

Microwave amplifiers tolerant to electrical overstress are provided. In certain embodiments, a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) includes a signal pad that receives a radio frequency (RF) signal, a ground pad, a balun including a primary section that receives the RF signal and a secondary section that outputs a differential RF signal, an amplifier that amplifies the differential RF signal, and a plurality of decoupling elements, some of them electrically connected between the primary section and the ground pad, others electrically connected in the secondary section to a plurality of the amplifier's nodes, and operable to protect the amplifier from electrical overstress. Such electrical overstress events can include electrostatic discharge (ESD) events, such as field-induced charged-device model (FICDM) events, as well as other types of overstress conditions.

Methods and systems for a pseudo-differential low-noise amplifier at Ku-band may comprise a low-noise amplifier (LNA) integrated on a semiconductor die, where the LNA includes first and second differential pair transistors with an embedded inductor tail integrated on the semiconductor die. The embedded inductor tail may include: a first inductor with a first terminal capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of the first differential pair transistor and a second terminal of the first inductor coupled to second, third, and fourth inductors. The second inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the first differential pair transistor, the fourth inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the second differential pair transistor, and the third inductor may be capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of the second differential pair transistor and also to ground. The second inductor may be embedded within the first inductor.

Methods and systems for a pseudo-differential low-noise amplifier at Ku-band may comprise a low-noise amplifier (LNA) integrated on a semiconductor die, where the LNA includes first and second differential pair transistors with an embedded inductor tail integrated on the semiconductor die. The embedded inductor tail may include: a first inductor with a first terminal capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of the first differential pair transistor and a second terminal of the first inductor coupled to second, third, and fourth inductors. The second inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the first differential pair transistor, the fourth inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the second differential pair transistor, and the third inductor may be capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of the second differential pair transistor and also to ground. The second inductor may be embedded within the first inductor.

Methods and systems for a pseudo-differential low-noise amplifier at Ku-band may comprise a low-noise amplifier (LNA) integrated on a semiconductor die, where the LNA includes first and second differential pair transistors with an embedded inductor tail integrated on the semiconductor die. The embedded inductor tail may include: a first inductor with a first terminal capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of the first differential pair transistor and a second terminal of the first inductor coupled to second, third, and fourth inductors. The second inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the first differential pair transistor, the fourth inductor may be coupled to a source terminal of the second differential pair transistor, and the third inductor may be capacitively-coupled to a gate terminal of the second differential pair transistor and also to ground. The second inductor may be embedded within the first inductor.

Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a frequency selective low noise amplifier (LNA) circuit, which includes a transconductive LNA(s). In one aspect, filter circuitry is provided in a degeneration path of a transconductive LNA(s) to pass in-band frequencies and reject out-of-band frequencies by generating low impedance and high impedance at the in-band frequencies and the out-of-band frequencies, respectively. However, having the filter circuitry in the degeneration path may cause instability in the transconductive LNA. As such, a feedback path is coupled between an input node of the transconductive LNA(s) and the degeneration path to provide a feedback to improve stability of the transconductive LNA(s). In addition, the feedback can help improve impedance match in the frequency selective LNA circuit. As a result, the transconductive LNA(s) is able to achieve improved noise figure (NF) (e.g., below 1.5 dB), return loss, linearity, and stability, without compromising LNA gain.