US 7,570,119 B2
Cascode-connected amplifier circuit, semiconductor integrated circuit using same, and receiving apparatus using same
Mutsumi Hamaguchi, Nara (Japan)
Assigned to Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka-Shi (Japan)
Filed on Mar. 14, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/717,724.
Claims priority of application No. 2006-171803 (JP), filed on Jun. 21, 2006.
Prior Publication US 2007/0296507 A1, Dec. 27, 2007
Int. Cl. H03F 3/04 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 330—311  [330/310] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cascode-connected amplifier circuit comprising:
a first transistor having a grounded emitter or a first field-effect transistor having a grounded source;
(a) a second transistor, having a grounded base, which is cascode-connected to the first transistor or to the first field-effect transistor, or (b) a second field-effect transistor, having a grounded gate, which is cascode-connected to the first transistor or to the first field-effect transistor;
a selecting unit causing a collector of the first transistor or a drain of the first field-effect transistor to be grounded;
a first voltage control unit controlling a voltage to be applied to the base of the second transistor or to the gate of the second field-effect transistor, wherein:
the first voltage control unit controls a voltage to be applied to the base of the second transistor while the selecting unit grounds the collector or the drain, so as to reduce a current flowing through the second transistor, or
the first voltage control unit controls a voltage to be applied to the gate of the second field-effect transistor while the selecting unit grounds the collector or the drain, so as to reduce a current flowing through the second field-effect transistor, and
wherein the first voltage control unit operates before the selecting unit grounds the collector or the drain, so as to reduce in advance the voltage to be applied to the base of the second transistor or to the gate of the second field-effect transistor.