Brian G. Moser

Analysis of the Influence of Layout and Technology Parameters on the Thermal Impedance of GaAs HBT/BiFET Using a Highly-Efficient Tool

This work is focused on the analysis of the dynamic thermal behavior of advanced GaAs HBTs, with particular emphasis on BiFET technologies, where pHEMTs are integrated below the conventional bipolar device. A novel highly-efficient tool is employed to determine the influence on the thermal impedance of the key layout and technology features, namely, size of the emitter and base-collector mesa, pHEMT layers, and metallization architecture. The tool relies on the multi-point moment matching algorithm, and allows CPU time and memory storage much lower than those required by commercially-available numerical software packages.

Simulation comparison of InGaP/GaAs HBT thermal performance in wire-bonding and flip-chip technologies

Abstract This paper presents an extensive numerical analysis of the thermal behavior of InGaP/GaAs HBTs for handset applications in a laminate (package) environment. Both wire-bonding and flip-chip technologies are examined. The combination between an accurate, yet fast, simulation capability and the Design of Experiments technique is employed to quantify the impact of all the key technology parameters and explore a wide range of operating conditions.

Technology comparison and considerations for handset power amplifiers

Average power power tracking (APT) and envelope tracking (ET) power amplifiers require high efficiency across a range of supply voltages, which is a change from old fixed voltage systems. The performance of these amplifiers is usually characterized by a so-called “waterfall curve”[1-3]. While circuit design choices can certainly be a factor in this roll-off of PAE with decreasing supply voltage, it is also necessary to evaluate device technologies to understand the trade-offs and opportunities they present for these applications. For technology development, it is advantageous to see if “simpler” measurements, such as RF-Knee[4] correlate to these waterfall measurements since they are easier to collect. In this paper, the considerations for device performance for these applications will be presented and discussed.