Noninterfering optical method of HBT circuit evaluation

The authors report a novel noninterfering and simple approach for evaluation of circuits implemented with AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). This method makes use of radiative recombination in the base region of current-carrying HBTs. The infrared radiation emitted is 'visible' to the closed-circuit TV (CCTV) cameras. Therefore, one can view the operation of the HBT circuit under test at normal biases with a TV monitor. This method can be used to determine logic states of gates, as well as collector current of individual HBTs within integrated circuits.<>     

Advanced thin-film silicon-on-sapphire technology: microwavecircuit applications

This paper reviews the prospects of thin-film silicon-on-sapphire (TFSOS) CMOS technology in microwave applications in the 1-5 GHz regime and beyond and presents the first demonstration of microwave integrated circuits based on this technology, MOSFET's optimized for microwave use, with 0.5-μm optically defined gate lengths and a T-gate structure, have f_t values of 25 GHz (14 GHz) and f_max values of 66 GHz (41 GHz) for n-channel (p-channel) devices and have noise figure values below 1 db at 2 GHz, some of the best reported performance characteristics of any silicon-based MOSFET's to date. On-chip spiral inductors exhibit quality factors above ten. Circuit performance compares favorably with that of other CMOS-based technologies and approach performance levels similar to those obtained by silicon bipolar technologies. The results demonstrate the significant potential of this technology for microwave applications     

Diode-HBT-logic circuits monolithically integrable with ECl/CMLcircuits

A novel logic approach, diode-HBT logic (DHL), that is implemented with GaAlAs/GaAs HBTs and Schottky diodes to provide high-density and low-power digital circuit operation is described. This logic family was realized with the same technology used to produce emitter-coupled-logic/current-mode-logic (ECL/CML) circuits. The logic operation was demonstrated with a 19-stage ring oscillator and a frequency divider. A gate delay of 160 ps was measured with 1.1 mW of power per gate. The divider worked properly up to 6 GHz. Layouts of a DHL flip-flop and divider showed that circuit area and transistor count can be reduced by about a factor of 3, relative to ECL/CML circuits. The new logic approach allows monolithic integration of high-speed ECL/CML circuits with high-density DHL circuits with high-density DHL circuits     

De-embedding parasitic components from propagation constant calculations

We present a novel technique for extracting transition structure circuit elements from microwave transmission lines. Using a full-wave Maxwell Equation simulator and microwave circuit software tools, data were generated from a prototype 2.5-dimensional coaxial line-like structure and used as a test vehicle to ascertain the effectiveness of this method. Our results confirm the method's value as a new tool for the design of microwave components.     

Growth of InGaN HBTs by MOCVD

The design and growth of GaN/InGaN heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are studied. Atomic-force microscopy (AFM) images of p⁺InGaN base layers (∼100 nm) deposited under various growth conditions indicate that the optimal growth temperature is limited to the range between 810 and 830°C due to a trade-off between surface roughness and indium incorporation. At these temperatures, the growth pressure must be kept above 300 Torr in order to keep surface pit density under control. An InGaN graded-composition emitter is adopted in order to reduce the number of V-shaped defects, which appear at the interface between GaN emitter and InGaN base and render an abrupt emitter-base heterojunction nearly impossible. However, the device performance is severely limited by the high p-type base contact resistance due to surface etching damage, which resulted from the emitter mesa etch.     

CMOS Outphasing Class-D Amplifier With Chireix Combiner

This letter presents a CMOS outphasing class-D power amplifier (PA) with a Chireix combiner. Two voltage-mode class-D amplifiers used in the outphasing system were designed and implemented with a 0.18-mum CMOS process. By applying the Chireix combiner technique, drain efficiency of the outphasing PA for CDMA signals was improved from 38.6% to 48% while output power was increased from 14.5 to 15.4 dBm with an adjacent channel power ratio of -45 dBc.     

A 10-Gb/s high-isolation, 16×16 crosspoint switch implementedwith AlGaAs/GaAs HBT's

A high-isolation, 16×16 crosspoint switch is reported, capable of aggregate data throughput of 160 Gb/s with low crosstalk and output jitter. Each of the 16 fully asynchronous channels can transmit data at rates up to 10 Gb/s with a worst case r.m.s. output jitter of 4 ps. Single channel operation output jitter below 2.8 ps r.m.s. has been demonstrated. The high-isolation circuitry allows for inter-channel crosstalk isolation of more than 40 dB with all channels operative. The circuit is based on AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor technology     

Phase-noise behaviour of frequency dividers implemented with GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

Near carrier phase-noise performance of GaAs microwave frequency dividers (4 GHz) is investigated. The divide-by-4 circuits are fabricated using heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology. The phase-noise behaviour of the HBT divider chips is correlated with transistor 1/f noise and is insensitive to bias current variations.     

InP/InGaAs double heterojunction bipolar transistors incorporating carbon-doped bases and superlattice graded base-collector junctions

High performance InP/InGaAs double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBTs) incorporating carbon-doped bases and graded base-collector junctions implemented using a short period superlattice were grown by gas source MBE (GSMBE). Base hole concentrations up to 1.6*10/sup 19/ cm/sup -3/ were obtained, using CCl/sub 4/ as the dopant source. Transistors with 2*10 mu m/sup 2/ emitters achieved f/sub t/ and f/sub max/ values up to 76 and 82 GHz, respectively. These devices demonstrate state of the art values of f/sub max/.<>     

Demonstration of low-knee voltage high-breakdown GaInP double HBTsusing novel compound collector design

We have demonstrated a heterojunction bipolar transistor using a novel compound collector (CCHBT) design that allows a low-knee voltage and high-breakdown voltage to be obtained simultaneously. The novel aspect of this design is to use a short wide band-gap collector only over a narrow portion of the collector, where the field is highest. This allows support of high fields while maintaining a low overall collector resistance due to the higher mobility of the narrow band-gap material. We demonstrate an offset voltage reduction of about 35% and a knee-voltage reduction of 30%, while increasing both BVCEO and BVCBO by 20 and 27%, respectively, compared to a single heterojunction device of the same collector length