Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/EP03/13321, filed Nov. 26, 2003, which designated the United States and was not published in English, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to an amplifier circuit having multiple gate field-effect transistors of improved adjustment of the operating point and improved control characteristics. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Examples of multiple gate field-effect transistors (MG-FETs) are shown in  FIG. 1 . The setup of a respective transistor structure will be explained in greater detail with reference to the schematic illustration of  FIG. 1 . 
   In  FIG. 1A , an MG-FET including three gate structures GS 1 , GS 2  and GS 3 , a first region B 1  connected to a first terminal S, and a second region B 2  connected to a second terminal D is shown. The regions B 1  and B 2  are formed in a conventional manner in a semiconductor substrate, such as, for example, by suitably doped regions therein. A channel region K including a plurality of channel portions K 1 , K 2  and K 3  associated to the respective gate structures GS 1 , GS 2  and GS 3  is formed between the first region B 1  and the second region B 2 . In the example shown in  FIG. 1A , the first gate structure GS 1  is connected to a first gate terminal G 1  of the MG-FET, the second gate structure GS 2  is connected to the first terminal S of the MG-FET and the third gate structure GS 3  is connected to a second gate terminal G 2  of the MG-FET. 
   Another example of an MG-FET is shown in  FIG. 1B , the same reference numerals as in  FIG. 1A  being employed here. In contrast to the example shown in  FIG. 1A , none of the gate structures is connected to a terminal according to  FIG. 1B . Rather, the gate structures GS 2  and GS 3  are connected to each other and connected to the second gate terminal G 2  of the MG-FET. The first gate structure GS 1  is connected to the first gate terminal G 1  of the MG-FET. 
   Since the MG-FETs according to  FIG. 1  each comprise two gate terminals, they are also referred to as dual gate FETs (DG-FETs). It is, however, obvious to those skilled in the art that, apart from the configurations shown in  FIG. 1 , other FETs having only two gate structures or having more than three gate structures may be used. Also, any number of gate terminals, that is also more than two terminals, may be provided, wherein in this case the gate structures would have to be connected in a suitable way. 
   MG-FETs are used for amplifier circuits, wherein an input signal is received via one or several gate terminals (signal gate terminals) and a control signal with the help of which the gain of the amplifier circuit can be adjusted is received via one or several other gate terminals (control gate terminals). For tuners, the DG-FETs described above having only one signal gate terminal and one control gate terminal, which in this context are also referred to as tuner tetrodes or, in the case of an MOS-DG-FET, as MOS tuner tetrodes, are preferably employed. The operating point of such an amplifier circuit is adjusted using an auxiliary wiring integrated with the MG-FET on a chip. The function of this auxiliary wiring has a decisive impact on the control characteristic or the dependence of the gain of the MG-FET on the control voltage at the control gate terminals provided for this, which are also referred to as AGC gate terminals (AGC=automatic gain control). 
   The gain of the MG-FET or the amplifier circuit formed with it is a strictly monotonic increasing function with low and medium voltages at the control gate terminals of the MG-FET. In this region, the MG-FET may, for example, be operated together with an automatic gain control (AGC) increasing the amplification with small input signals and decreasing the amplification with large input signals, to obtain an output signal having a constant quantity or amplitude independently of the quantity of the input signal. The region of low and medium voltages at the control gate terminals of the MG-FET where the gain thereof is a strictly monotonic function, is also referred to as the AGC region. With higher voltages at the control gate terminal of the MG-FET, the amplification thereof is saturated since the portions of the channel of the MG-FET associated to the control gate terminals are completely open or formed. In this region, the gain of the MG-FET is largely constant, independently of the voltage at the control gate terminals of the MG-FET. The ideal and desired control characteristic of an amplifier circuit having an MG-FET features a transition between the AGC region and the saturation region, which is as smooth and soft as possible. 
     FIG. 2  shows an example of a conventional amplifier circuit  10 . In this example, MG-FETs having a signal gate terminal and a control gate terminal, that is DG-FETs, are used. The amplifier circuit includes a first DG-FET or main DG-FET  20 . The first DG-FET includes a signal gate terminal (gate  1 )  22 , a control gate terminal (gate  2 )  24 , a source terminal  26  and a drain terminal  28 . In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , the setup and the wiring of the first DG-FET  20  are such that the signal gate terminal  22  and the control gate terminal  24  are associated to two portions of a channel via gate structures, as is shown in  FIG. 1 . We assume an exemplary configuration, as is shown in  FIG. 1B . In this case, the gate structure GS 1  is associated to the signal gate terminal  22  and thus to the channel portion K 1 . The gate structures GS 2  and GS 3  and thus the channel portions K 2  and K 3  are associated to the control gate terminal  24 . The source terminal  26  is connected to the first region B 1  and the drain terminal  26  is connected to the second region B 2 . Thus, a gate structure associated to the signal gate terminal  22  is arranged on the source side to the source terminal  26  and a gate structure associated to the control gate  24  is arranged on the drain side to the drain terminal  28 . The first DG-FET  20  is arranged within a well in a substrate or directly in the substrate where the amplifier circuit  10  is formed. When the first DG-FET is an n-channel FET, the well is a p-well, when the first DG-FET is a p-FET, the well is an n-well. The well is preferably connected to the source  26  in an electrically conductive way. 
   The amplifier circuit  10  additionally comprises a second DG-FET  30  or an auxiliary DG-FET which preferably has a similar or identical setup to the first DG-FET  20 . In particular, the second DG-FET  30  comprises a signal gate terminal  32 , a control gate terminal  34 , a source terminal  36  and a drain terminal  38  connected to the gate structures and regions as has been described above referring to the first DG-FET. Like in the first DG-FET, the signal gate terminal  32  is thus arranged on the source side and the control gate terminal  34  is arranged on the drain side. The well within which the second DG-FET  30  is arranged, in turn, is connected to the source  36 . 
   The signal gate terminal  22  of the first DG-FET  20  and the signal gate terminal  32  of the second DG-FET  30  are connected to each other and connected to a signal input  42  of the amplifier circuit  10 . The control gate terminal  24  of the first DG-FET  20  and the control gate terminals  34  of the second DG-FET  30  are connected to each other and connected to a control input  44  of the amplifier circuit  10 . The source terminal  26  of the first DG-FET  20  and the source terminal  36  of the second DG-FET  30  are connected to each other and connected to a first exterior terminal (source)  46  of the amplifier circuit  10 . The drain terminal  28  of the first DG-FET  20  is connected to a second exterior terminal (drain)  48  of the amplifier circuit  10 . The drain terminal  38  of the second DG-FET  30  is connected to the signal gate terminal  32  of the second DG-FET  30  and thus, at the same time, connected to the signal gate terminal  22  of the first DG-FET  20  and the signal input  42  of the amplifier circuit  10 . 
   The amplifier circuit  10  is usually operated by applying a direct voltage vdd from a supply voltage terminal  54  to the signal input  42  via a resistor  52 , the voltage setting the operating point of the second DG-FET  30  and thus of the first DG-FET  20  with regard to the voltage at the signal gate terminal  22 . At the same time, an (alternating current) input signal, such as, for example, an HF signal, from an input signal terminal  58  is coupled or applied capacitively to the signal input  42  of the amplifier circuit  10  via a capacitor  56 . By the input signal, the resistance of a channel portion of the first DG-FET  20  associated thereto is controlled via the signal gate terminal  22  and also, with a voltage, applied from the outside, between the terminal  46  and the terminal  48 , a current from the source terminal  26  through the channel of the first DG-FET  20  to the drain terminal  28 . A control voltage is applied via the control input  44  to the amplifier circuit  10  and, in particular, to the control gate terminal  24  of the first DG-FET modulating the resistance of the portion of the channel of the first DG-FET  20  associated to the control gate terminal  22  and also the current between the source terminal  26  and the drain terminal  28 . The control input  44  or the control voltage applied thereto is used to adjust or control the gain of the amplifier circuit  10 . For this, the control voltage is usually only varied slowly. 
   The auxiliary wiring of the first DG-FET  20  by means of the second DG-FET  30  (auxiliary tetrode) illustrated with reference to  FIG. 2  serves to adjust the operating point but has a serious practical disadvantage. When the gain is to be reduced starting from a saturation region, that is from a control voltage at the control input  44  where the amplifier circuit  10  has its maximum gain, by reducing the control voltage applied to the control input  44 , the resistance of the portion of the channel of the second DG-FET  30  associated to the control gate terminal  34  increases since the control voltage is also applied to the control gate terminal  34 . Thus, there is a higher voltage drop at the auxiliary tetrode or the second DG-FET  30  or between the source terminal  36  and the drain terminal  38  of the second DG-FET  30 , this voltage in turn decreasing the resistance of that channel via the signal gate terminal  22  of the first DG-FET  20 . This counteracts the intended reduction and results in an increase in the current between the source terminal  26  and the drain terminal  28  of the first DG-FET  20 . In general, the decisive factor for the potential at the drain terminal  38  to decrease or increase with a decreasing potential at the control gate terminal  34  is the dimensioning of the second DG-FET (such as, for example, ratio of channel lengths, channel profiles, substrate control, etc.). 
   What is more, the channel portion of the second DG-FET  30  associated to the control gate terminal  34  is strongly controlled by the substrate potential since both portions of the channel of the second DG-FET  30  are arranged in one and the same well connected to the source terminal  36  of the second DG-FET  30 . This problem could, however, be solved by a “dual well technology” (two separate wells), which would, however, entail considerable complexity as far as manufacturing is concerned. 
   Both effects described cause, when regulating the amplifier circuit  10  or reducing the gain of the amplifier circuit  10 , a marked break in the gain characteristic at a control voltage or voltage V g2  at the control gate terminals  24 ,  34  of the DG-FETs  20 ,  30  of V g2 =1.6 V, and a superelevation or excessive increase in the current between the source terminal  26  and the drain terminal  28  having a relatively abrupt onset. The break in the gain characteristic and the current superelevation are considerable disadvantages of the conventional amplifier circuit illustrated referring to  FIG. 2 . 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide an amplifier circuit allowing a smoother transition between the saturation region and the AGC region. 
   In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention provides an amplifier circuit having: a signal input; a first multiple gate field-effect transistor having a source terminal, a drain terminal, at least one signal gate terminal for receiving an input signal from the signal input and at least one control gate terminal for receiving a control signal; and a second multiple gate field-effect transistor having a source terminal, a drain terminal, at least one signal gate terminal connected to the signal gate terminal of the first multiple gate field-effect transistor, and a control gate terminal connected to the control gate terminal of the first multiple gate field-effect transistor, each of the multiple gate field-effect transistors having: a first region associated to a drain terminal or a source terminal, a second region associated to a source terminal or a drain terminal, a channel region arranged between the first region and the second region, at least one first gate structure associated to a first portion of the channel region and arranged adjacent to the first region, the first gate structure being associated to the signal gate terminal or to the control gate terminal, and at least one second gate structure associated to a second portion of the channel region and arranged adjacent to the second region, the second gate structure being associated to the control gate terminal or to the signal gate terminal, characterized in that the gate structure of the second multiple gate field-effect transistor associated to the signal gate terminal is connected to the region which is adjacent to the channel region of this gate structure. 
   Preferably, in the amplifier circuit each of the multiple gate field-effect transistors includes a first region associated to a drain terminal or a source terminal, a second region associated to a source terminal or a drain terminal, a channel region arranged between the first region and the second region, at least one first gate structure associated to a first portion of the channel region and arranged adjacent to the first region, and at least one second gate structure associated to a second portion of the channel region and arranged adjacent to the second region. 
   According to a first embodiment, in the first multiple gate field-effect transistor, the signal gate terminal is connected to the first gate structure, the control gate terminal is connected to the second gate structure, the source terminal is connected to the first region and the drain terminal is connected to the second region, and in the second multiple gate field-effect transistor, the signal gate terminal is connected to the first gate structure, the control gate terminal is connected to the second gate structure, the source terminal is connected to the second region and the drain terminal is connected to the first region, the signal gate terminal of the second multiple gate field-effect transistor being connected to the drain terminal. 
   According to a second embodiment, in the first multiple gate field-effect transistor, the signal gate terminal is connected to the first gate structure, the control gate terminal is connected to the second gate structure, the source terminal is connected to the first region and the drain terminal is connected to the second region, and in the second multiple gate field-effect transistor, the signal gate terminal is connected to the second gate structure, the control gate terminal is connected to the first gate structure, the source terminal is connected to the first region and the drain terminal is connected to the second region, the signal gate terminal of the second multiple gate field-effect transistor being connected to the drain terminal. 
   The present invention is based on the idea of forming auxiliary MG-FETs such that the gate terminal(s) connected to the gate terminal(s) of the main MG-FET for receiving the control signal, when operating, is (are) at a lower potential (in n-channel FETs) or a higher potential (in p-channel FETs) than the gate terminal(s) of the auxiliary MG-FET connected to the gate terminal(s) of the main MG-FET for receiving the input signal. 
   If the auxiliary MG-FET is a dual gate FET (DG-FET), this means that the auxiliary wiring is to be selected such that a gate terminal of the auxiliary dual gate FET is to be connected to that source or drain terminal of the auxiliary DG-FET at the side of which the gate terminal is arranged. A reduction of channel resistance of the (drain side) channel of the auxiliary DG-FET associated to the signal gate terminal is avoided or reduced by the inventive amplifier circuit, since a source inverse feedback results by the increasing resistance of the (source side) channel associated to the control gate terminal when reducing the amplification. Additionally, the inventive amplifier circuit avoids substrate control of the source side channel of the second DG-FET since the source region thereof is then at the substrate potential. 
   The simultaneous substrate control of the drain side channel in the inventive amplifier circuit results in the negative effects connected thereto at the signal gate terminal being less pronounced than in the control gate terminal. Simulation results show that the inventive amplifier circuit comprises a more uniform and flatter current superelevation and thus a considerably smoother course of the gain characteristic. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention that the disadvantages of manufacturing the second DG-FET in a common well can be eliminated easily by avoiding the problems of the prior art even with a “one well technology” by means of the inventive design. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently referring to the appended drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows two examples of multiple gate field-effect transistors; 
       FIG. 2  shows a conventional amplifier circuit; 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic circuit diagram of an amplifier circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic circuit diagram of an amplifier circuit according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 5  shows a schematic graphical illustration of the gain characteristic of the inventive amplifier circuit and of a conventional amplifier circuit. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be detailed subsequently with reference to DG-FETs, as have been explained referring to  FIG. 1 , the implementation also applying to MG-FETs having more than two gate terminals. 
     FIG. 3  is a schematic circuit diagram of an amplifier circuit according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The inventive amplifier circuit illustrated in  FIG. 3  differs from the conventional amplifier circuit illustrated in  FIG. 2  in that the auxiliary tetrode or the second DG-FET  30  acts in reverse operation. Again, the terminal  36 , serving as a source in the operating state due to the potential conditions, of the second DG-FET  30  is connected to the source terminal  26  of the first DG-FET  20  and to the terminal  46  of the amplifier circuit  10 . In contrast to the conventional amplifier circuit illustrated with reference to  FIG. 2 , this signal gate terminal  32  of the second DG-FET  30  connected to the signal gate terminal  22  of the first DG-FET  20 , however, is not arranged on the source side but on the drain side. Correspondingly, the control gate terminal  34  of the second DG-FET  30  connected to the control gate terminal  24  of the first DG-FET  20  is not arranged on the drain side but on the source side. Put differently, in this case the first region B 1  (see  FIG. 1 ) of the second DG-FET is operated as a drain, whereas in the conventional circuit according to  FIG. 2  the second region B 2  serves as a drain. The second region B 2  (see  FIG. 1 ) of the second DG-FET forms the source which, in the conventional circuit according to  FIG. 2 , is formed by the first region B 1 . The first region B 1  of the second DG-FET is thus connected to the signal gate terminal thereof via the drain terminal  38 . 
   The embodiment of an inventive amplifier circuit illustrated in  FIG. 3  additionally comprises a resistor R connected between the signal input  42  and the signal gate terminal  32  of the second DG-FET. This resistor avoids the auxiliary tetrode or the second DG-FET  30  to reduce the gain of the main tetrode or of the first DG-FET  20 . Employing the resistor R in this meaning is of advantage, but not a necessary feature. 
   Additionally, the amplifier circuit  10  includes a biasing network to provide a direct voltage vdd to the drain terminal  38  of the second DG-FET  30 . According to an example, the biasing network is external and includes a resistor  52  and a direct signal terminal  54 . 
   Alternatively, the resistor  52 ′ (see dashed lines in  FIG. 3 ) may be integrated on a chip together with the first DG-FET  20  and the second DG-FET  30 , the direct signal terminal, together with the drain terminal  28  of the first DG-FET  20 , being connected to the external terminal (drain)  48  of the amplifier circuit  10 . 
     FIG. 4  is a schematic circuit diagram of an amplifier circuit  10  according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment illustrated with reference to  FIG. 2  by the configuration (such as, for example, the gate lengths) of the gate structures of the second DG-FET associated to the gate terminals  32 ,  34 . Whereas conventionally a source side gate structure abutting on a first region B 1  (see  FIG. 1 ) is shorter than the drain side gate structure abutting on a second region B 2  (see  FIG. 1 ), the opposite applies in this case. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the signal gate terminal  32  of the second DG-FET is connected to a gate structure arranged adjacent to the second region B 2  (see  FIG. 1 ). The control gate terminal  34  of the second DG-FET is connected to a gate structure arranged adjacent to the first region B 1  (see  FIG. 1 ). The source terminal  36  in this example, like in that of  FIG. 2 , is connected to the first region B 1  (see  FIG. 1 ). Also, the drain terminal  38 , like in the example of  FIG. 2 , is connected to the second region B 2  (see  FIG. 1 ). This, compared to  FIG. 2 , means an exchange of the two gate terminals  32 ,  34  at the second DG-FET. Additionally, the amplifier circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention illustrated with reference to  FIG. 4  does not comprise the resistor  70  of the amplifier circuit  10  illustrated with reference to  FIG. 3 . Alternatively, a resistor may be connected between the signal input  42  and the signal gate terminal  32  of the second DG-FET in the second embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
   Among other things, the difference between the two embodiments ( FIGS. 3 and 4 ) results from the fact that the nLDD region integrated in the drain in reverse operation ( FIG. 3 ) has the effect of a source inverse feedback resistor. A similar effect can be achieved by arranging an additional resistor R′ (indicated in dashed lines) between the terminal  36  and the terminal  46  in the circuit of  FIG. 4 . 
   In this example, too, the supply network, like in  FIG. 3 , may be formed externally or in a way integrated with the DG-FETs. 
     FIG. 5  schematically illustrates the dependence of the voltage gain and the drain current of the first DG-FET on the control voltage applied to the control input  44 . The control voltage V g2  applied to the control input  44  is associated to the abscissa, whereas the voltage gain G v  (in dB; continuous lines) and the drain current I d  (in mA; dashed lines) are associated to the ordinate. 
   The dashed lines  80 ,  82 ,  84  indicate the dependence of the drain current I d  on the control voltage V g2  for the conventional amplifier circuit illustrated with reference to  FIG. 2  (curve  80 ), for the amplifier circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated with reference to  FIG. 3  (curve  82 ) and for the amplifier circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention illustrated with reference to  FIG. 4  (curve  84 ). The continuous lines  90 ,  92 ,  94  show the dependence of the voltage gain G v  on the control voltage V g2  for the conventional amplifier circuit illustrated with reference to  FIG. 2  (curve  90 ), for the amplifier circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 3  (curve  92 ) and for the amplifier circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 4  (curve  94 ). 
   The voltage gain G v  has, for both the conventional amplifier circuit (curve  90 ) and for the amplifier circuit according to the present invention (curves  92 ,  92 ), a saturation region  102  above V g2 =1.6 V and V g2 =1.7 V and V g2 =2.0 V, respectively, within which the voltage gain G v  is largely constant, independently of the control voltage V g2 . For lower control voltages V g2 , all three amplifier circuits comprise an AGC region  104  within which the voltage gain G v  has a strictly monotonic dependence on the control voltage V g2 . The difference between the curves  90  ( FIG. 3) and 94  ( FIG. 4 ) results from the “reversed” wiring of the FETs since they have an asymmetrical setup, due to the LDD regions provided on either the source side or the drain side. A similar result could also be achieved by a symmetrical FET, such as, for example, a conventional MOS-FET having a resistor at a drain or a source terminal. It becomes obvious from curve  80  that the drain current I d  has a marked superelevation at a control voltage of V g2 =1.4 V. The marked break of the gain characteristic of the conventional amplifier circuit, at the control voltage V g2 =1.6 V, in curve  90  is causally connected with this abrupt superelevation in the drain current I d . 
   In contrast, it can be seen that the amplifier circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 3  only has a minimum and very flat superelevation of the drain current I d  (curve  82 ) and a considerably smoother transition from the saturation region  102  to the AGC region  104  (at V g2 =1.5 V). The amplifier circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention illustrated in  FIG. 4  also has a less abrupt superelevation in the drain current I d  (curve  84 ) and a smoother transition of the voltage gain G v  from the saturation region  102  to the AGC region  104  (at V g2 =2 V) (curve  94 ). Thus, the voltage gain G v  of the second embodiment, in the AGC region  104 , also has, on average, a smaller gradient than the voltage gains of the conventional amplifier circuit and the amplifier circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , it may easily be recognized that the present invention achieves a slight or small and uniform superelevation of the drain current I d  and a considerably smoother transition of the voltage gain G v  from the saturation region  102  to the AGC region  104  when regulating the control voltage V g2 . 
   The present invention or inventive auxiliary wiring of a DG-FET within an amplifier circuit is suitable for all DG-FETs, in particular for dual gate MOS FETS, the gain of which is controlled or determined by a DC potential or a direct voltage. Tuner tetrodes are examples of this. Preferably, the inventive amplifier circuit  10 , that is in particular the first DG-FET  20  and the second DG-FET  30 , are integrated on a chip. 
   Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to DG-FETS, this is, as has been mentioned above, not to be taken as a limitation. The implementations also apply to MG-FETs having more than two gate terminals. Two or more signal gate terminals and/or two or more control gate terminals may, for example, be provided without departing from the principles on which the present invention is based. 
   While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and compositions of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Category: h