Jon D. Jorgenson

A Flip-Chip Silicon IPMOS Power Amplifier and a DC/DC Converter for GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz Systems

An LDMOS-based MOS device, called integrated power MOS (IPMOS), was developed to provide integration of high-performance reliable RF power devices with the rest of the front-end using flip-chip packaging. A 3-stage power amplifier (PA) die containing 1-8-30 and 1-8-40 mm wide IPMOS devices was designed for GSM 1800/1900 and GSM 850/900 MHz systems, respectively. The PA for GSM 850/900 achieved power added efficiencies (PAE) in the range of 54 to 62 % across the band with output power (Pout) ranging from 34.5 to 35.4 dBm when driven with input power (Pin) greater than 3 dBm. The PA for GSM 1800/1900 achieved PAEs in the range of 39 to 42 % with Pout ranging from 32.5 to 33.7 dBm when driven with Pin greater than 4 dBm. A DC/DC buck converter was also designed using the same process, and the bias to the PA for GSM 850/900 was applied through this converter. PAEs when Pin and DC/DC converter output voltage are varied were compared.

Integration of a cellular handset power amplifier and a DC/DC converter in a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) technology

A DC/DC buck converter was integrated with a cellular handset power amplifier (PA) in a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. The technology was designed to allow integration of high-performance reliable RF power devices with the front-end. The power devices uses an LDMOS-based MOS device, called integrated power MOS (IPMOS). A 3-stage power amplifier was designed for GSM850/900 and DCS/PCS bands. The PA achieved typical power added efficiencies (PAE) greater than 60% with Pout ranging from 35.5 to 36.7 dBm at GSM850/900 MHz band, and it achieved typical PAEs in the range of 44 to 49 % with Pout ranging from 33.6 to 33.8 dBm at DCS/PCS band. The PAE was also measured when the DC/DC converter biased the PA. Up to 25-percentage-point improvement in the PAE was observed compared to the case where the output power was controlled by varying the input power. The spurious emissions in the transmit band and the receive band noise were also reported.