High power silicon on insulator switch

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a first series switch, a second series switch, a first shunt switch, a second shunt switch, a first DC blocking capacitor, and a second DC blocking capacitor. The first series switch may be coupled between a first RF port and a second RF port. The first shunt switch may be coupled between the first RF port and a first half supply voltage tab. The second series switch may be coupled between the second RF port and a third RF port. The second shunt switch may be coupled between the third RF port and a second half supply voltage tab. The first DC blocking capacitor may be coupled between the first half voltage tab and a circuit ground potential. The second DC blocking capacitor may be coupled between the second half supply voltage tab and the circuit ground potential.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first series switch coupled between a first RF port and a second RF port;   a first shunt switch coupled between said first RF port and a first tab tied to a voltage level that is half of a supply voltage;   a second series switch coupled between said second RF port and a third RF port;   a second shunt switch coupled between said third RF port and a second tab tied to the voltage level that is half of said supply voltage;   a first DC blocking capacitor coupled between said first tab and a circuit ground potential; and   a second DC blocking capacitor coupled between said second tab and said circuit ground potential.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first series switch, said second series switch, said first shunt switch and said second shunt switch comprise stacked switches. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said stacked switches comprise a plurality of series connected semiconductor devices. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said semiconductor devices comprise transistors. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said semiconductor devices comprise metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein each of said metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors comprise a resistor connected between a source terminal and a drain terminal. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third DC blocking capacitor coupled to said first RF port;   a fourth DC blocking capacitor coupled to said second RF port; and   a fifth DC blocking capacitor coupled to said third RF port.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said third, fourth and fifth DC blocking capacitors are external to an integrated circuit containing said first shunt switch, said first series switch, said second series switch, and said second shunt switch. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus operates with only a positive supply voltage generator. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said first series switch, said second series switch, said first shunt switch and said second shunt switch are configured as a transmit-receive (T/R) switch. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said transmit-receive (T/R) switch is implemented using at least one of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said transmit-receive (T/R) switch is implemented as part of a front end module of a wireless communication system. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said transmit-receive (T/R) switch is implemented as part of a front end module of a fifth generation (5G) wireless communication system. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first series switch is controlled by a first control signal;   said second series switch is controlled by a second control signal;   said first shunt switch is controlled by a third control signal;   said second shunt switch is controlled by a fourth control signal; and   said first, said second, said third, and said fourth control signals have respective voltage levels that swing between said supply voltage and said circuit ground potential.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein said first, said second, said third, and said fourth control signals are derived from a single transmit/receive (T/R) control signal. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first series switch and said second shunt switch are controlled by a first control signal;   said second series switch and said first shunt switch are controlled by a second control signal; and   said first and said second control signals have respective voltage levels that swing between said supply voltage and said circuit ground potential.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein said first and said second control signals are derived from a single transmit/receive (T/R) control signal. 
     
     
         18 . A method of connecting an antenna to a transceiver comprising:
 connecting an output of a transmit path to a first RF port;   connecting an input of a receive path to a second RF port;   connecting a transmission medium to a third RF port, wherein a first series switch is coupled between said first RF port and said second RF port, a first shunt switch is coupled between said first RF port and a first tab tied to a voltage level that is half of a supply voltage, a second series switch is coupled between said second RF port and said third RF port, a second shunt switch is coupled between said third RF port and a second tab tied to the voltage level that is half of said supply voltage;   connecting a first DC blocking capacitor between said first tab and a circuit ground potential; and   connecting a second DC blocking capacitor between said second tab and said circuit ground potential.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said first series switch, said second series switch, said first shunt switch and said second shunt switch comprise stacked switches. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said first series switch, said second series switch, said first shunt switch and said second shunt switch are configured as a transmit-receive (T/R) switch that operates with only a positive supply voltage generator.