Jin Zhi

Physical modeling based on hydrodynamic simulation for the design of InGaAs/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistors ∗

A physical model for scaling and optimizing InGaAs/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBTs) based on hydrodynamic simulation is developed. The model is based on the hydrodynamic equation, which can accurately describe non-equilibrium conditions such as quasi-ballistic transport in the thin base and the velocity overshoot effect in the depleted collector. In addition, the model accounts for several physical effects such as bandgap narrowing, variable effective mass, and doping-dependent mobility at high fields. Good agreement between the measured and simulated values of cutoff frequency, ft, and maximum oscillation frequency, fmax, are achieved for lateral and vertical device scalings. It is shown that the model in this paper is appropriate for downscaling and designing InGaAs/InP DHBTs.

100-nm T-gate InAlAs/InGaAs InP-based HEMTs with fT = 249 GHz and fmax = 415 GHz

InAlAs/InGaAs high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) on an InP substrate with well-balanced cutoff frequency fT and maximum oscillation frequency fmax are reported. An InAlAs/InGaAs HEMT with 100-nm gate length and gate width of 2 × 50 μm shows excellent DC characteristics, including full channel current of 724 mA/mm, extrinsic maximum transconductance gm.max of 1051 mS/mm, and drain—gate breakdown voltage BVDG of 5.92 V. In addition, this device exhibits fT = 249 GHz and fmax = 415 GHz. These results were obtained by fabricating an asymmetrically recessed gate and minimizing the parasitic resistances. The specific Ohmic contact resistance was reduced to 0.031 OMmm. Moreover, the fT obtained in this work is the highest ever reported in 100-nm gate length InAlAs/InGaAs InP-based HEMTs. The outstanding gm.max fT, fmax, and good BVDG make the device suitable for applications in low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers, and high speed circuits.

An 88 nm gate-length In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As InP-based HEMT with fmax of 201 GHz

An 88 nm gate-length In0.53Ga0.47As/In0.52Al0.48As InP-based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) was successfully fabricated with a gate width of 2 × 50 μm and source-drain space of 2.4 μm. The T-gate was defined by electron beam lithography in a trilayer of PMMA/Al/UVIII. The exposure dose and the development time were optimized, and followed by an appropriate residual resist removal process. These devices also demonstrated excellent DC and RF characteristics: the extrinsic maximum transconductance, the full channel current, the threshold voltage, the current gain cutoff frequency and the maximum oscillation frequency of the HEMTs were 765 mS/mm, 591 mA/mm, −0.5 V, 150 GHz and 201 GHz, respectively. The HEMTs are promising for use in millimeter-wave integrated circuits.

A Physics-Based Charge-Control Model for InP DHBT Including Current-Blocking Effect

We develop a physics-based charge-control InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor model including three important effects: current blocking, mobile-charge modulation of the base-collector capacitance and velocity-field modulation in the transit time. The bias-dependent base-collector depletion charge is obtained analytically, which takes into account the mobile-charge modulation. Then, a measurement based voltage-dependent transit time formulation is implemented. As a result, over a wide range of biases, the developed model shows good agreement between the modeled and measured S-parameters and cutoff frequency. Also, the model considering current blocking effect demonstrates more accurate prediction of the output characteristics than conventional vertical bipolar inter company results.

High-breakdown-voltage submicron InGaAs/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor with f(t)=170 GHz and f(max)=253GHz

The layer structure of InGaAs/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor (DHBT) is designed to enhance the frequency performance and breakdown voltage. The composition-graded base structure is used to decrease the base transit time. The InGaAs setback layer and two highly doped InGaAsP layers are used to eliminate the conduction band spike of the collector. The submicron-emitter InGaAs/InP DHBT is fabricated successfully. The base contact resistance is greatly decreased by optimization of contact metals. The breakdown voltage is more than 6 V. The current gain cutoff frequency is as high as 170 GHz and the maximum oscillation frequency reached 253 GHz. The DHBT with such high performances can be used to make W-band power amplifier.

High-Speed InGaAs/InP Double Heterostructure Bipolar Transistor with High Breakdown Voltage

We design and fabricate an InGaAs/InP double heterostructure bipolar transistor (DHBT). The spike of the conduction band discontinuity between InGaAs base and InP collector is successfully eliminated by insertion of an InGaAs layer and two InGaAsP layers. The current gain cutoff frequency and maximum oscillation frequency are as high as 155 and 144 GHz. The breakdown voltage in common-emitter configuration is more than 7 V. The high cutoff frequency and high breakdown voltage make high-speed and high-power circuits possible.

High current multi-finger InGaAs/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor with the maximum oscillation frequency 253 GHz

A four-finger InGaAs/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor is designed and fabricated successfully by using planarization technology. The emitter area of each finger is 1 ? 15?m2. The breakdown voltage is more than 7 V, the maximum collector current could be more than 100 mA. The current gain cutoff frequency is as high as 155 GHz and the maximum oscillation frequency reaches 253 GHz. The heterostructure bipolar transistor can offer more than 70mW class-A maximum output power at W band and the maximum power density can be as high as 1.2W/mm.

A symbolically defined InP double heterojunction bipolar transistor large-signal model

A self-built accurate and flexible large-signal model based on an analysis of the characteristics of InP double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBTs) is implemented as a seven-port symbolically defined device (SDD) in Agilent ADS. The model accounts for most physical phenomena including the self-heating effect, Kirk effect, soft knee effect, base collector capacitance and collector transit time. The validity and the accuracy of the large-signal model are assessed by comparing the simulation with the measurement of DC, multi-bias small signal S parameters for InP DHBTs.

A 23 GHz low power VCO in SiGe BiCMOS technology

A 23 GHz voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) with very low power consumption is presented. This paper presents the design and measurement of an integrated millimeter wave VCO. This VCO employs an on-chip inductor and MOS varactor to form a high Q resonator. The VCO RFIC was implemented in a 0.18 μm 120 GHz ft SiGe hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT) BiCMOS technology. The VCO oscillation frequency is around 23 GHz, targeting at the ultra wideband (UWB) and short range radar applications. The core of the VCO circuit consumes 1 mA current from a 2.5 V power supply and the VCO phase noise was measured at around −94 dBc/Hz at a 1 MHz frequency offset. The FOM of the VCO is −177 dBc/Hz.

0.15-μm T-gate In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As InP-based HEMT with fmax of 390 GHz

In this paper, 0.15-μm gate-length In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As InP-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) each with a gate-width of 2 × 50 μm are designed and fabricated. Their excellent DC and RF characterizations are demonstrated. Their full channel currents and extrinsic maximum transconductance (gm,max) values are measured to be 681 mA/mm and 952 mS/mm, respectively. The off-state gate-to-drain breakdown voltage (BVGD) defined at a gate current of −1 mA/mm is 2.85 V. Additionally, a current-gain cut-off frequency (fT) of 164 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) of 390 GHz are successfully obtained; moreover, the fmax of our device is one of the highest values in the reported 0.15-μm gate-length lattice-matched InP-based HEMTs operating in a millimeter wave frequency range. The high gm,max, BVGD, fmax, and channel current collectively make this device a good candidate for high frequency power applications.