Abstract: Methods and devices for reading and programming a state of a switch device are presented. Reading of the state is provided by measuring a resistance of the switch via injection of a current. If a measured resistance does not correspond to a resistance of an expected state, then the switch is reprogrammed, and the state reread. The switch device may form part of a complex switch circuit that includes a combination of shunt and through switch devices. Currents injected into external loads coupled to the switch circuit increase accuracy in reading of the state. Further accuracy in reading of the state of a through switch device is provided by provision of a bypass path to a shunt switch device. The complex switch circuit may be implemented as a SPDT switch including two branches, each branch including a shunt and a through switch device. Several types of switch devices, such as phase-change material (PCM) devices may be implemented.

Abstract: Methods and devices to control PCM switches are disclosed. The described devices include PCM switch drivers and logic and control circuits, all integrated with the PCM and the associated heater on the same chip. Various architectures for the driver are also presented, including architectures implement feedback mechanism to mitigate variations from process, temperature, and supply voltage.

Abstract: Methods and devices for reading and programming a state of a switch device are presented. Reading of the state is provided by measuring a resistance of the switch via injection of a current. If a measured resistance does not correspond to a resistance of an expected state, then the switch is reprogrammed, and the state reread. The switch device may form part of a complex switch circuit that includes a combination of shunt and through switch devices. Currents injected into external loads coupled to the switch circuit increase accuracy in reading of the state. Further accuracy in reading of the state of a through switch device is provided by provision of a bypass path to a shunt switch device. The complex switch circuit may be implemented as a SPDT switch including two branches, each branch including a shunt and a through switch device. Several types of switch devices, such as phase-change material (PCM) devices may be implemented.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a frequency based integrated circuit that selectively filters out unwanted bands or regions of interfering frequencies utilizing one or more tunable notch or bandpass filters or tunable low or high pass filters capable of operating across multiple frequencies and multiple bands in noisy RF environments. The tunable filters are fabricated within the same integrated circuit package as the associated frequency based circuitry, thus minimizing R, L, and C parasitic values, and also allowing residual and other parasitic impedance in the associated circuitry and IC package to be absorbed and compensated.

Abstract: Methods and devices to control PCM switches are disclosed. The described devices include PCM switch drivers and logic and control circuits, all integrated with the PCM and the associated heater on the same chip. Various architectures for the driver are also presented, including architectures implement feedback mechanism to mitigate variations from process, temperature, and supply voltage.

Abstract: Methods and devices for speeding up the onset of a target current through an output leg of a current mirror are presented. Upon activation of the current mirror, a pre-charge current is sourced to a node of the current mirror that is common to the output leg and an input leg of the current mirror. Sourcing of the pre-charge current is based on sensing, by a first transistor, of a voltage at the common node. Pre-charging of the common node continues up to a cutoff voltage sensed at the common node. Sourcing of the pre-charge current is provided by a second transistor coupled to the common node. Based on the voltage sensed at the common node, the first transistor controls the sourcing of the pre-charge current by the second transistor. Such control is based on a portion of a current from a current source that flows through the first transistor.

Abstract: Circuits and methods that enable stacking of phase change material (PCM) switches and that accommodate variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of such switches. Stacking is enabled by providing isolation switches for the resistive heater(s) in a PCM switch to reduce parasitic capacitance caused by the proximity of the resistive heater(s) to the PCM region of a PCM switch. Variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of a PCM switch are mitigated or eliminated by sensing the actual resistance of the resistive heater(s) and then determining a suitable adjusted electrical pulse profile for the resistive heater(s) that generates a precise thermal pulse to the PCM region, thereby reliably achieving a desired switch state while extending the life of the resistive heater(s) and the phase-change material.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for practical realization of an integrated circuit comprising a stack of transistors operating as an RF amplifier are described. As stack height is increased, capacitance values of gate capacitors used to provide a desired distribution of an RF voltage at the output of the amplifier across the stack may decrease to values approaching parasitic/stray capacitance values present in the integrated circuit which may render the practical realization of the integrated circuit difficult. Coupling of an RF gate voltage at the gate of one transistor of the stack to a gate of a different transistor of the stack can allow for an increase in the capacitance value of the gate capacitor of the different transistor for obtaining an RF voltage at the gate of the different transistor according to the desired distribution.

Abstract: Circuits and methods that enable stacking of phase change material (PCM) switches and that accommodate variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of such switches. Stacking is enabled by providing isolation switches for the resistive heater(s) in a PCM switch to reduce parasitic capacitance caused by the proximity of the resistive heater(s) to the PCM region of a PCM switch. Variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of a PCM switch are mitigated or eliminated by sensing the actual resistance of the resistive heater(s) and then determining a suitable adjusted electrical pulse profile for the resistive heater(s) that generates a precise thermal pulse to the PCM region, thereby reliably achieving a desired switch state while extending the life of the resistive heater(s) and the phase-change material.

Abstract: Methods and devices for speeding up the onset of a target current through an output leg of a current mirror are presented. Upon activation of the current mirror, a pre-charge current is sourced to a node of the current mirror that is common to the output leg and an input leg of the current mirror. Sourcing of the pre-charge current is based on sensing, by a first transistor, of a voltage at the common node. Pre-charging of the common node continues up to a cutoff voltage sensed at the common node. Sourcing of the pre-charge current is provided by a second transistor coupled to the common node. Based on the voltage sensed at the common node, the first transistor controls the sourcing of the pre-charge current by the second transistor. Such control is based on a portion of a current from a current source that flows through the first transistor.

Abstract: Circuits and methods that enable stacking of phase change material (PCM) switches and that accommodate variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of such switches. Stacking is enabled by providing isolation switches for the resistive heater(s) in a PCM switch to reduce parasitic capacitance caused by the proximity of the resistive heater(s) to the PCM region of a PCM switch. Variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of a PCM switch are mitigated or eliminated by sensing the actual resistance of the resistive heater(s) and then determining a suitable adjusted electrical pulse profile for the resistive heater(s) that generates a precise thermal pulse to the PCM region, thereby reliably achieving a desired switch state while extending the life of the resistive heater(s) and the phase-change material.

Abstract: Circuits and methods that enable stacking of phase change material (PCM) switches and that accommodate variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of such switches. Stacking is enabled by providing isolation switches for the resistive heater(s) in a PCM switch to reduce parasitic capacitance caused by the proximity of the resistive heater(s) to the PCM region of a PCM switch. Variations in the resistance of the resistive heater(s) of a PCM switch are mitigated or eliminated by sensing the actual resistance of the resistive heater(s) and then determining a suitable adjusted electrical pulse profile for the resistive heater(s) that generates a precise thermal pulse to the PCM region, thereby reliably achieving a desired switch state while extending the life of the resistive heater(s) and the phase-change material.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for practical realization of an integrated circuit comprising a stack of transistors operating as an RF amplifier are described. As stack height is increased, capacitance values of gate capacitors used to provide a desired distribution of an RF voltage at the output of the amplifier across the stack may decrease to values approaching parasitic/stray capacitance values present in the integrated circuit which may render the practical realization of the integrated circuit difficult. Coupling of an RF gate voltage at the gate of one transistor of the stack to a gate of a different transistor of the stack can allow for an increase in the capacitance value of the gate capacitor of the different transistor for obtaining an RF voltage at the gate of the different transistor according to the desired distribution.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a frequency based integrated circuit that selectively filters out unwanted bands or regions of interfering frequencies utilizing one or more tunable notch or bandpass filters or tunable low or high pass filters capable of operating across multiple frequencies and multiple bands in noisy RF environments. The tunable filters are fabricated within the same integrated circuit package as the associated frequency based circuitry, thus minimizing R, L, and C parasitic values, and also allowing residual and other parasitic impedance in the associated circuitry and IC package to be absorbed and compensated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a frequency based integrated circuit that selectively filters out unwanted bands or regions of interfering frequencies utilizing one or more tunable notch or bandpass filters or tunable low or high pass filters capable of operating across multiple frequencies and multiple bands in noisy RF environments. The tunable filters are fabricated within the same integrated circuit package as the associated frequency based circuitry, thus minimizing R, L, and C parasitic values, and also allowing residual and other parasitic impedance in the associated circuitry and IC package to be absorbed and compensated.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for practical realization of an integrated circuit comprising a stack of transistors operating as an RF amplifier are described. As stack height is increased, capacitance values of gate capacitors used to provide a desired distribution of an RF voltage at the output of the amplifier across the stack may decrease to values approaching parasitic/stray capacitance values present in the integrated circuit which may render the practical realization of the integrated circuit difficult. Coupling of an RF gate voltage at the gate of one transistor of the stack to a gate of a different transistor of the stack can allow for an increase in the capacitance value of the gate capacitor of the different transistor for obtaining an RF voltage at the gate of the different transistor according to the desired distribution.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for practical realization of an integrated circuit comprising a stack of transistors operating as an RF amplifier are described. As stack height is increased, capacitance values of gate capacitors used to provide a desired distribution of an RF voltage at the output of the amplifier across the stack may decrease to values approaching parasitic/stray capacitance values present in the integrated circuit which may render the practical realization of the integrated circuit difficult. Coupling of an RF gate voltage at the gate of one transistor of the stack to a gate of a different transistor of the stack can allow for an increase in the capacitance value of the gate capacitor of the different transistor for obtaining an RF voltage at the gate of the different transistor according to the desired distribution.

Abstract: A differential phase and amplitude detector circuit is presented. Two source follower circuits respectively based on NMOS and PMOS transistors are used to charge and discharge a sampling capacitor asymmetrically to provide a measurement of phase and/or amplitude difference between two signals of a substantially same frequency. The measurement can be made in one cycle, with the charging of the sampling capacitor performed during a first half cycle where a voltage difference between the two signals is positive, and the discharging during a second half cycle where a voltage difference between the two signals is negative. Biasing of the two source follower circuits enable an excess current flow between the two transistors of the two source follower circuits beyond a biasing current of the transistors to charge the sampling capacitor during the first half cycle, and disable the excess current flow between the two transistors during the second half cycle.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for practical realization of an integrated circuit comprising a stack of transistors operating as an RF amplifier are described. As stack height is increased, capacitance values of gate capacitors used to provide a desired distribution of an RF voltage at the output of the amplifier across the stack may decrease to values approaching parasitic/stray capacitance values present in the integrated circuit which may render the practical realization of the integrated circuit difficult. Coupling of an RF gate voltage at the gate of one transistor of the stack to a gate of a different transistor of the stack can allow for an increase in the capacitance value of the gate capacitor of the different transistor for obtaining an RF voltage at the gate of the different transistor according to the desired distribution.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a frequency based integrated circuit that selectively filters out unwanted bands or regions of interfering frequencies utilizing one or more tunable notch or bandpass filters or tunable low or high pass filters capable of operating across multiple frequencies and multiple bands in noisy RF environments. The tunable filters are fabricated within the same integrated circuit package as the associated frequency based circuitry, thus minimizing R, L, and C parasitic values, and also allowing residual and other parasitic impedance in the associated circuitry and IC package to be absorbed and compensated.