David L. Harame

A scalable high-frequency noise model for bipolar transistors with application to optimal transistor sizing for low-noise amplifier design

Fully scalable, analytical HF noise parameter equations for bipolar transistors are presented and experimentally tested on high-speed Si and SiGe technologies. A technique for extracting the complete set of transistor noise parameters from Y parameter measurements only is developed and verified. Finally, the noise equations are coupled with scalable variants of the HICUM and SPICE-Gummel-Poon models and are employed in the design of tuned low noise amplifiers (LNAs) in the 1.9-, 2.4-,and 5.8-GHz bands.

Analog Circuit Blocks for 80-GHz Bandwidth Frequency-Interleaved, Linear, Large-Swing Front-Ends

Critical analog electronic circuits for a possible 80-GHz bandwidth, frequency-interleaved, PAM-4 or discrete-multitone (DMT) linear fiber-optic front-end are implemented in a 90-nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. These include a novel vertically coupled, 40-100-GHz bandpass filter, an 80-GHz bandwidth distributed optical modulator driver with a measured output compression point of 13 dBm per side, corresponding to 7 Vpp output differential swing, and a 125-GHz bandwidth PIN-diode SPST switch with a OP1-dB of 23 dBm, and over 22 dB of isolation up to 160 GHz. The linear modulator driver can also be used as a high linearity (IP1-dB = 5 dBm per side) receiver amplifier in next-generation instrumentation systems.

A 130nm RFSOI technology with switch, LNA, and EDNMOS devices for integrated front-end module SoC applications

The cellular frequency spectrum has become increasingly complex with over 50 frequencies in LTE standards. To reduce costs in the front end module the switch has migrated from a III-V PHEMT base to a silicon solution in RFSOI. While many providers have focused on a 180nm base technology node for the RFSOI there has been an increasing move to more advanced nodes to solution the logic requirements of the cellular standards. In addition there has been a strong interest in migrating to an SOC solution in RFSOI. In this paper a 130nm RFSOI technology is presented with high performance and low noise body tied 1.5V NMOS for LNA devices with a novel method of body contacting, low Ron*Coff NMOS for antenna switch and state of the art EDNMOS with fT of 38GHz and BVdss of 14V BVdss for integrated PA application. Specific results presented include characterization of the switch, LNA, and Power Amplifier devices.

RF performance of 28nm PolySiON and HKMG CMOS devices

The impact of scaling in advanced RF/MS-CMOS has been extensively discussed but there has not been a publication that compares the RF characteristics of 28nm high-K metal gate HKMG and PolySiON technologies fabricated in the same facility. In this work, we show that HKMG improves transistor fT and increases varactor tunning range. However, it can actually decrease fmax. We examine how process features made to optimize cost and digital performance impact the RF performance. Process features which improve DC current and gm, including HKMG also give higher fT. However, fmax is sensitive to gate resistance and PolySiON has an advantage here.

RF-pFET in fully depleted SOI demonstrates 420 GHz F T

We report an experimental pFET with 420GHz fT, which to the best of our knowledge is the highest value reported for a silicon pFET. The transconductance is 1800uS/um. The technology is fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) with the pFET channel formed by SiGe condensation. This outstanding performance is achieved by a combination of layout and process optimization which minimizes capacitance and maximizes compressive strain on the channel. The technology features a high-k metal gate and short gate length (20nm drawn) in addition to the SiGe channel for high mobility.

90nm SiGe BiCMOS analog front-end circuits for 80GHz bandwidth large-swing transmitters

An 80GHz bandwidth distributed amplifier with 7Vpp differential output swing and PO1dB of 13 dBm per side, a 125GHz bandwidth PIN-diode SPST switch with 23dBm output compression point and over 22 dB of isolation up to 160 GHz, and a 40-100GHz bandpass filter with less than 3dB insertion loss are reported in a 90nm SiGe BiCMOS process. The circuits represent critical building blocks for analog transmitter or receiver front ends in next generation instrumentation and 100GBaud fiberoptic systems.