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  Microwave phase shifter and power amplifierUSPTO Application #: 20060022769Title: Microwave phase shifter and power amplifier Abstract: A phase shifter according to this invention includes a circuit board having a semi-insulating layer. An active layer is formed in a transmission line forming portion on one surface side of the semi-insulating layer, a first ground conductive layer is formed on the other surface side, a transmission line is formed on the upper side of the active layer, and a second ground conductive layer is formed on the transmission line forming surface of the semi-insulating layer in close proximity to one side of the transmission line. If a bias voltage of negative polarity is applied to the transmission line, reverse bias is applied to the active layer to form a depletion layer and capacitance is equivalently connected to the transmission line having inductance. A phase shift amount can be freely controlled by changing the value of the capacitance according to the bias voltage. (end of abstract)
Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland, Maier & Neustadt, P.C. - Alexandria, VA, US Inventor: Hideki Takasu USPTO Applicaton #: 20060022769 - Class: 333161000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060022769. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This is a divisional application of, and claims priority to, U.S. Ser. No. 10/634,887, filed Aug. 6, 2003, which is a Continuation Application of PCT Application No. PCT/JP03/00852, filed Jan. 29, 2003, which was not published under PCT Article 21(2) in English. [0002] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-023487, filed Jan. 31, 2002, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] 1. Field of the Invention [0004] The present invention relates to a microwave phase shifter which gives a desired phase shift amount to a high-frequency signal and a power amplifier using the microwave phase shifter. [0005] 2. Description of the Related Art [0006] A microwave phase shifter is a circuit which gives a preset phase shift amount to a high-frequency signal of microwave, millimeter wave or the like and is normally configured by combining several transmission lines, a switch circuit and the like. For example, it has a transmission line used as a reference and transmission lines having delay amounts corresponding to preset phase differences with respect to the reference side transmission line, and a phase shift amount corresponding to the phase difference with respect to the reference is acquired by selecting one of the transmission lines by use of the switch circuit. [0007] The microwave phase shifter with the above configuration is formed in an IC form by forming a plurality of transmission lines with different delay amounts and a switch circuit to switch the transmission lines on a substrate and thus an attempt is made to make the whole device small. However, since the switch circuit simultaneously makes selection of and switching to a single line from a plurality of lines on the input side and output side, a plurality of switch elements and driving control circuits are required. As a result, the circuit configuration of the microwave phase shifter formed on the substrate becomes complicated, the substrate becomes larger and the cost rises due to an increase in the number of manufacturing steps. [0008] In the latest microwave communications devices for satellite communications, mobile communications, etc, a power amplifier using a semiconductor amplifier element is used, from the viewpoint of size, weight, reliability, etc. In a power amplifier using this semiconductor amplifier element, the output power which can be acquired by use of one element is not necessarily sufficient. Therefore, a power synthesizing type of power amplifier is proposed which, when a high output power is required, distributes an input signal into plural paths, amplifies them by use of semiconductor amplifier elements while controlling the signal phases, and then re-synthesizes the signals (for example, Jpn. Pat. Apln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-196870 (p 5, FIG. 1)). [0009] In the power amplifier, since a power loss occurs if the phases of the signals are deviated at the time of power synthesis, the phase differences between the signals are eliminated and the loss at the time of power synthesis is reduced by inserting phase shifters into paths other than a path used as a reference to adjust the phases. Thus, in the power synthesizing type of power amplifier, phase shifters corresponding in number to (the number of distributions--1) are required. Therefore, in order to make the power amplifier small and sufficiently reduce the loss, a phase shifter which is small and inexpensive and can relatively easily and precisely adjust the phase shift amount is desired. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] An object of this invention is to provide a microwave phase shifter in which the circuit configuration is simple and can be easily made small, and as a result, the manufacturing cost can be lowered, and which can relatively easily and precisely adjust a phase shift amount, and a power synthesizing type of power amplifier using the microwave phase shifter. [0011] A microwave phase shifter of this invention comprises a semi-insulating substrate having an operating layer partly formed thereon, a signal conductor formed on the operating layer of the semi-insulating substrate, a grounding conductor formed on the same surface as the signal conductor on the semi-insulating substrate, and a bias power supply which applies a bias voltage to the signal conductor. [0012] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0013] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [0014] FIG. 1 is a configuration view showing the configuration of a microwave phase shifter according to a first embodiment of this invention; [0015] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the equivalent circuit of the first embodiment; [0016] FIG. 3 is a configuration view showing the configuration of a microwave phase shifter according to a second embodiment of this invention; [0017] FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing the equivalent circuit of the second embodiment; [0018] FIG. 5 is a block circuit diagram showing the configuration of a power amplifier according to a third embodiment of this invention; and [0019] FIG. 6 is a block circuit diagram showing a modification of the power amplifier according to the third embodiment of this invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Continue reading... Full patent description for Microwave phase shifter and power amplifier Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Microwave phase shifter and power amplifier patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Microwave phase shifter and power amplifier or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Surface acoustic wave device, surface acoustic wave apparatus, and communications equipment Next Patent Application: Lamination type electronic component Industry Class: Wave transmission lines and networks ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Microwave phase shifter and power amplifier patent info. 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