JPH08186450A - Microwave frequency converting circuit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To miniaturize the entire circuit and to reduce the number of parts while keeping the versatility and miniaturized form of a monolithic integrated circuit concerning the microwave frequency converting circuit equipped with the monolithic integrated circuit. CONSTITUTION: The entire part of one part of an amplifier and a local oscillator on the first stage consisting of a microwave frequency converting circuit 31 and the entire part or one part of a mixer and an intermediate frequency amplifier are formed in the chip of a monolithic integrated circuit 31. Besides, input/ output terminals 33 and 34 for connection with a filter 51 are provided in this chip, and these input/output terminals 33 and 34 are arranged so as not to come onto the same side of the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31 each other. The amplifier is integrated into the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31 by the monolithic integrated circuit technique of HEMT. Besides, the monolithic integrated circuit 31 is formed on a multi-layer substrate 30 and the filter 51 is formed by utilizing the layers of that multi-layer substrate 30 excepting for the layer to arrange the monolithic integrated circuit 31.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microwave frequency conversion circuit suitable for use in a transmitting / receiving device for transmitting / receiving microwaves such as a satellite broadcast receiving converter.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a microwave frequency conversion circuit of a general satellite broadcast receiving converter using a conventional monolithic integrated circuit. In the figure, the microwave band signal supplied to the signal input terminal 1 is amplified to a predetermined level by the low noise amplifier 2, and then supplied to the image frequency suppressing filter (hereinafter referred to as filter) 4. Then, the signal that has passed through the filter 4 is supplied to the signal input terminal 11 of the monolithic integrated circuit 10. The monolithic integrated circuit 10 includes a signal input terminal 11, an amplifier 12 that amplifies the signal supplied to the signal input terminal 11 to a predetermined level, a signal output from the amplifier 12 and a local oscillator output from a local oscillator 13. A mixer 14 for extracting an intermediate frequency by mixing the oscillation signal, an intermediate frequency amplifier 15 for amplifying the intermediate frequency from the mixer 14, and an intermediate frequency amplifier 15
It is composed of a signal output terminal 16 for taking out the output from and a local oscillation terminal 17. The monolithic integrated circuit 10 is made into a chip.

One end of a microstrip line 20 is connected to the local oscillation terminal 17, and one end of the microstrip line 20 is grounded via a terminating resistor 21. Further, a dielectric resonator 22 is arranged near the microstrip line 20. The microstrip line 20, the terminating resistor 21, and the dielectric resonator 22 are the local oscillator 13 of the monolithic integrated circuit 10.
Of the local oscillator 13 to stably oscillate the local oscillator 13. The monolithic integrated circuit 10 has a power supply terminal for supplying electric power to a circuit (not shown) and several ground terminals. In addition, the low noise amplifier 2
A HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor) whose noise figure is lower than that of a gallium arsenide (GaAs) FET is used for the device and is arranged outside the monolithic integrated circuit 10. Further, the various circuits described above are incorporated on a double-sided substrate with low loss, for example, a Teflon double-sided substrate.

[0004]

The conventional microwave frequency conversion circuit described above has the following problems. (B) In order to compensate for the loss of the filter 4, it is necessary to provide the low noise amplifier 2 in the preceding stage, which makes it difficult to miniaturize the microwave frequency conversion circuit itself. (B) On the other hand, it is conceivable to incorporate the low noise amplifier 2 and a specific filter in the monolithic integrated circuit 10 in order to realize miniaturization, but in such a case, the following problems occur. Occurs. The use frequency of the monolithic integrated circuit 10 is determined by a specific filter, so that the versatility of the monolithic integrated circuit 10 is significantly deteriorated. Monolithic integrated circuit 1 with large area filter 4
If it is set to 0, the chip area becomes large, which hinders the miniaturization of the chip itself.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a microwave frequency conversion circuit capable of achieving miniaturization of the entire circuit and reduction of the number of parts while maintaining the versatility and the miniaturization of the shape of the monolithic integrated circuit. Has an aim.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, a microwave frequency conversion circuit according to the invention of claim 1 is
An amplifier for amplifying a microwave band signal from the outside, a filter for passing a signal in a desired frequency band among signals output from the amplifier, a local oscillation circuit, a signal passed through the filter, and the local portion A microwave frequency conversion circuit having a mixer that mixes a local oscillation signal output from an oscillator to extract an intermediate frequency signal, and an intermediate frequency amplifier that amplifies the intermediate frequency signal extracted from the mixer, An amplifier, all or part of the local oscillator, all or part of the mixer and the intermediate frequency amplifier are formed in a chip as a monolithic integrated circuit, and the chip has an input / output terminal for connecting with the filter. It is characterized in that these input / output terminals are arranged so as not to come to the same side of the chip.

A preferred embodiment is, for example, claim 2
As in the invention described above, while the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit is arranged on a multilayer substrate, the filter is formed by using a layer other than the same layer of the multilayer substrate on which the chip is arranged. May be. For example, as in the invention described in claim 3, the amplifier may be formed in the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit by the HEMT monolithic integrated circuit technology.

[0008]

According to the present invention, all or a part of the amplifier, the local oscillator, the mixer and the intermediate frequency amplifier which constitute the microwave frequency conversion circuit are formed in a chip as a monolithic integrated circuit, and the chip is further formed in this chip. An input / output terminal for connecting to a filter (image frequency suppressing filter) is provided, and the input / output terminals are arranged not to be on the same side of the chip. In this case, the amplifier is formed in a chip by HEMT's monolithic integrated circuit technology. Therefore, the isolation between the input and output terminals to the filter is ensured, so that the usable frequency of the monolithic integrated circuit can be widened. Moreover, the number of components can be reduced by forming the amplifier in the chip.

Further, according to the present invention, the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit is arranged on the multilayer substrate, and the filter is formed using a layer other than the layer on which the chip of the multilayer substrate is arranged. Therefore, by forming the filter in the multilayer substrate, it is possible to substantially reduce the number of filters as components, and thus the microwave frequency conversion circuit itself can be downsized.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. A. Configuration of Microwave Frequency Conversion Circuit FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of an embodiment of a microwave frequency conversion circuit according to the present invention. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the microwave frequency conversion circuit of the same embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 30 denotes a 6-layer multilayer substrate,
Substrates 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d, 3 from the top of the drawing
It is composed of 0e and 30f. These substrates 30a to 30f
For example, a double-sided substrate with less loss such as a Teflon double-sided substrate is suitable. Reference numeral 31 is a monolithic integrated circuit chip, 32 is a signal input terminal connected to the input terminal of a low noise amplifier 50 (see FIG. 2) formed in the monolithic integrated circuit 31, and 33 is an image frequency suppressing filter 51.
An output terminal connected to the input side of the filter (see below, FIG. 2), 34 is an input terminal connected to the output side of the filter 51, and the filter 5 is connected via this input terminal 34.
The signal that has passed 1 is input to the monolithic integrated circuit 31.

Here, FIG. 3 shows a monolithic integrated circuit 31.
It is a figure which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the input terminal 33 and the output terminal 34 to the filter 51 of this chip. In this figure, (a)
Shows an example of arranging on the opposite side of the chip, and (b) shows an example of arranging on the adjacent side of the chip. As shown in these figures, the input terminal 33 and the output terminal 34 are arranged on different sides of the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31. By separating the input terminal 33 and the output terminal 34 in this way, isolation can be achieved between them. Although FIG. 4 shows an example in which the input terminals 33 and the output terminals 34 are arranged on the same side, it is obvious that the input terminal 33 and the output terminal 34 are easily coupled to each other, so that the isolation is difficult to obtain. On the other hand, the filter 51 is the multilayer substrate 30.
Is formed in a layer other than the layer in which the monolithic integrated circuit 31 of FIG. In this figure, between the substrates 30b and 30c, between the substrates 30c and 30d, and between the substrates 30d and 30.
An electrode is provided between the electrode and e.

Next, in FIG. 2, reference numeral 35 is a signal output terminal for taking out the intermediate frequency signal after frequency conversion. Three
Reference numeral 6 denotes a local oscillation terminal, and one end of a microstrip line 57 between the local oscillation terminal 36 and the dielectric resonator 56 is connected. 37 is a power supply terminal for supplying power to the monolithic integrated circuit 31. An input line 38 is connected to the signal input terminal 32 via the bonding wire BW, and a microwave band signal is supplied from the outside. A bias line 39 is connected to the power supply terminal 37 via the bonding wire BW, and a bias is supplied from the outside. An output line 40 is connected to the signal output terminal 35 via the bonding wire BW and outputs an intermediate frequency signal.

Reference numeral 50 is a low noise amplifier, which is composed of two-stage amplifiers cascade-connected as shown in the figure. Here, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the total noise figure of the low noise amplifier 50, and the gain and noise figure of the low noise amplifier 50 such that the influence of the noise figure after the filter 51 is no problem from the formula shown in this figure. The value can be calculated. This low noise amplifier 50 is a HEMT (High Electron Mobility Tra).
It is formed in the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31 by the monolithic integrated circuit technology (nsistor). Returning to FIG. 2, 52 is an amplifier, 53 is a local oscillator, 56 is an external dielectric resonator for stabilizing the local oscillation frequency, and 58 is a terminating resistor.

B. Operation of Microwave Frequency Converter Circuit In FIG. 2, the microwave band signal supplied to the signal input terminal 32 is amplified by the low noise amplifier 50 and supplied from the output terminal 33 to the filter 51. The signal passing through the filter 51 enters the monolithic integrated circuit 31 via the input terminal 34 and is supplied to the amplifier 52. Then, after being amplified by the amplifier 52, it is supplied to the mixer 54, mixed with the local oscillation signal output from the local oscillator 53, and frequency-converted to an intermediate frequency. The intermediate frequency signal is supplied to the intermediate frequency amplifier 55, amplified, and then output from the signal output terminal 35 to the outside.

As described above, in this embodiment, in order to secure the isolation between the terminals of the input / output terminals 33 and 34 of the monolithic integrated circuit 31, these should not come to the same side of the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31. Deploy.
This makes it possible to ensure isolation between the terminals connecting the monolithic integrated circuit 31 and the filter input / output, as compared with the case where the input / output terminals 33 and 34 are provided on the same side of the chip. Further, the low-noise amplifier 50 at the first stage arranged in front of the filter 51 is formed in the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31 by the HEMT monolithic integrated circuit technology. As a result, it is not necessary to form the low noise amplifier 50 on the substrate, and the number of parts is reduced. Further, the filter 51 is formed using a layer other than the same layer of the multilayer substrate 30 on which the monolithic integrated circuit 31 is arranged. As a result, the microwave frequency conversion circuit itself can be downsized, and by forming the filter 51 in the multilayer substrate 30, the number of parts can be substantially reduced.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications such as the following are conceivable. (A) The filter 51 may be arranged on the back surface of the surface of the substrate 30a on which the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31 is arranged. As a result, the distance between the filter 51 and the monolithic integrated circuit 31 is shortened, and the capacitance between them can be reduced. (B) A part of the filter 51 may be incorporated in the monolithic integrated circuit 31 as long as the versatility is not lost. As a result, the microwave frequency conversion circuit itself can be further downsized.

(C) Amplifier 2 provided in front of mixer 54
May be omitted. (D) A low noise amplifier 50 so as to support dual polarization input.
The first stage of the monolithic integrated circuit 31 for each polarization
Two systems may be provided inside. (E) The frequency of the local oscillator 53 is stabilized by the dielectric resonator 5
An oscillator other than 6, for example, an oscillator that operates by multiplying a crystal oscillator may be provided. (F) In the embodiment, the chip of the monolithic integrated circuit 31 is directly mounted on the multilayer substrate 30 and wire-bonded, but the chip may be housed in a package and mounted on the substrate. . (G) In the embodiment, the input / output line is the monolithic integrated circuit 3
Although it is on the same plane as the substrate surface on which 1 is placed, it may be brought to the back surface of the substrate through a through hole.

[0018]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. (B) Since the low noise amplifier before the filter is formed in the monolithic integrated circuit, the number of parts can be reduced as compared with the conventional one. (B) Connection of the input / output terminals of the monolithic integrated circuit with the input / output terminals of the image frequency suppression filter by configuring all or part of the image frequency suppression filter by using, for example, the inner layer of the multilayer substrate. The arrangement can be freely configured, and the isolation between the input and output terminals of the filter itself can be ensured by providing the ground layer appropriately in the multilayer substrate.

(C) By using the layers in the thickness direction of the multi-layer substrate on the lower surface of the monolithic integrated circuit, it is possible to construct a smaller image frequency suppressing filter than the conventionally generally used microstrip line type filter. it can. (D) By eliminating the input / output terminals to the filter on the same side of the chip, the area between the terminals connecting the monolithic integrated circuit and the filter input / output can be compared to a chip with the input / output terminals on the same side. Isolation can be secured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of an embodiment of a microwave frequency conversion circuit according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a microwave frequency conversion circuit of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement example of input / output terminals to a filter in the monolithic integrated circuit of the microwave frequency conversion circuit of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example in which input / output terminals for a filter are arranged on the same side in a monolithic integrated circuit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a formula for calculating a total noise figure when the amplifiers of the monolithic integrated circuit of the microwave frequency conversion circuit of the above embodiment are cascade-connected.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional microwave frequency conversion circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30 Multilayer Substrate 31 Monolithic Integrated Circuit 32 Signal Input Terminal 33 Output Terminal 34 Input Terminal 35 Signal Output Terminal 36 Local Oscillation Terminal 37 Power Supply Terminal 50 Low Noise Amplifier 51 Image Frequency Suppression Filter 52 Amplifier 54 Mixer 55 Intermediate Frequency Amplifier 53 Local Oscillator 56 Dielectric Resonator 57 Microstrip Line 58 Termination Resistor

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An amplifier for amplifying a microwave band signal from the outside, a filter for passing a signal of a desired frequency band among signals output from the amplifier, a local oscillator, and a filter for passing the filter. Microwave frequency conversion including a mixer that mixes a signal and a local oscillation signal output from the local oscillator to extract an intermediate frequency signal, and an intermediate frequency amplifier that amplifies the intermediate frequency signal extracted from the mixer In the circuit, all or part of the amplifier and the local oscillator circuit and all or part of the mixer and the intermediate frequency amplifier are formed in a chip as a monolithic integrated circuit, and the chip has an input for connecting with the filter. It is characterized by having an output terminal and arranging these input / output terminals so that they are not on the same side of the chip. Microwave frequency conversion circuit. 2. The chip of the monolithic integrated circuit is arranged on a multilayer substrate, while the filter is formed by using a layer other than the same layer of the multilayer substrate on which the chip is arranged. The microwave frequency conversion circuit according to claim 1. 3. The amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the amplifier is formed in a chip of the monolithic integrated circuit by HEMT's monolithic integrated circuit technology.
The microwave frequency conversion circuit according to any one of 1.