Abstract: A transmission line amplifier utilizes a transmission line transistor having a gate line, and first and second lines. The gate line is a gate of the transistor, one of the first and second lines is a source of the transistor, and the other is a drain of the transistor. The gate line includes an input terminal at a first end thereof, adapted to receive an input signal, and a gate line load terminal at a second end thereof, adapted to be connected to a gate line load. The second line is connected to a first supply voltage. The first line includes a first line load terminal at a first end thereof that is adapted to be connected to a first line load, and an output terminal at a second end thereof that is adapted to provide an output signal.

Abstract: An attenuator has an input adapted to receive a signal to be attenuated, and an output adapted to output an attenuated signal, and a shunt transmission line transistor having a gate transmission line adapted to receive an attenuator control voltage, a source configured as a source transmission line, and a drain configured as a drain transmission line. One of the source transmission line and drain transmission line is connected to ground and the signal to be attenuated passes through the other of the source transmission line and drain transmission line.

Abstract: A transmission line amplifier utilizes a transmission line transistor having a gate line, and first and second lines. The gate line is a gate of the transistor, one of the first and second lines is a source of the transistor, and the other is a drain of the transistor. The gate line includes an input terminal at a first end thereof, adapted to receive an input signal, and a gate line load terminal at a second end thereof, adapted to be connected to a gate line load. The second line is connected to a first supply voltage. The first line includes a first line load terminal at a first end thereof that is adapted to be connected to a first line load, and an output terminal at a second end thereof that is adapted to provide an output signal.

Abstract: A transistor comprises a gate, a source, and a drain. The gate is configured as a gate transmission line having a first characteristic impedance, and has an input at a first end thereof, and an output at a second end thereof. The source is configured as a source transmission line having a second characteristic impedance, and has an input at a first end thereof, and an output at a second end thereof. The drain is configured as a drain transmission line having a third characteristic impedance, and has an input at a first end thereof, and an output at a second end thereof.

Abstract: An attenuator has an input adapted to receive a signal to be attenuated, and an output adapted to output an attenuated signal, and a shunt transmission line transistor having a gate transmission line adapted to receive an attenuator control voltage, a source configured as a source transmission line, and a drain configured as a drain transmission line. One of the source transmission line and drain transmission line is connected to ground and the signal to be attenuated passes through the other of the source transmission line and drain transmission line.

Abstract: A power down circuit that provides an on-state electrical current to a load circuit that does not depend significantly on power control signal logic levels and that provides a widened off-state control signal voltage range. A power down circuit according to the present teachings includes a switching transistor for providing an electrical current to a load circuit in an on-state and for interrupting the electrical current in an off-state and that includes a circuit for operating the switching transistor in a triode region during the on-state.

Abstract: A protection circuit for transistor that avoids the use of performance hindering resistors or diodes or capacitors includes a routing circuit for routing an electrostatic discharge current around the transistor and a detection circuit that switches on the routing circuit when a breakdown current in the transistor exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: A balun including a pair of metal coil structures and an intervening dielectric layer having a thickness that is selected in response an operating frequency of the balun. The thickness of the dielectric layer may be used to tune the balun and enhance its self-inductance at its operating frequency. In addition, a balun with a pair of metal coil structures formed with an asymmetry that is selected to minimize an amplitude error in its output signal. A balun according the present teachings may also include an asymmetry in the positioning of its output terminals. The positioning of the output terminals of a balun may be adjusted to minimize phase errors at its output signal.

Abstract: An envelope detector that does not generate an undesirable DC offset at its DC output signal. An envelope detector according to the present teachings includes a circuit for performing a DC level shift on an AC input signal applied to the envelope detector such that a magnitude of the DC level shift is proportional to a peak envelope of the AC input signal.

Abstract: A power amplifier stage with a mechanism for enhanced linearity. A power amplifier according to the present teachings includes an amplifying device and a circuit that removes a harmonic component of an input signal from a control terminal of the amplifying device. The removal of the harmonic component enhances linearity and enables operation of the power amplifier at higher power levels closer to its compression point.

Abstract: A power amplifier output stage that provides multiple power states and mechanisms for enhancing the efficiency of each of its power states. A power amplifier output stage according to the present techniques includes a first output device for driving a load in a first power state and a second output device for driving the load in a second power state along with a matching network for the first power state and a circuit for adapting the matching network to the second power state.

Abstract: A two-stage amplifier that includes a first stage and a second stage and a first component and a second component coupled in series between the first and second stages. The first component is selected to provide AC decoupling of the first and second stages and the second component is selected to provide for the stability of the amplifier while avoiding excessive power dissipation and/or negative impact on overall gain.

Abstract: A differential amplifier that employs mutually coupled inductors to provide desired levels of inductance in a substantially smaller form factor in comparison to individual inductor components. Mutually coupled inductors according to the present teachings may also be used to increase common mode rejection in a differential amplifier.

Abstract: Techniques for shaping the drive signal of a mixing device to overcome a characteristic capacitance of the control terminal of the mixing device and reduce the time the mixing device is in an intermediate state between its on and off states.

Abstract: A frequency mixer that generates out of phase sum signals and uses the out of phase relationship to absorb sum signal energy in an energy absorbing component. A frequency mixer according to the present teachings includes a set of mixing devices that generate a first sum signal and a second sum signal in response to an input signal and a drive signal such that the first sum signal is out of phase in relation to the second sum signal. A frequency mixer according to the present teachings includes an energy absorbing component that absorbs the out of phase sum terms from the mixing devices.