Title :
GaInP/GaAs HBTs for high-speed integrated circuit applications
Author :
Ho, W.J. ; Chang, M.F. ; Sailer, Alfons ; Zampardi, P. ; Deakin, D. ; McDermott, B. ; Pierson, R. ; Higgins, J.A. ; Waldrop, J.
Author_Institution :
Sci. Center, Rockwell Int. Corp., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
Abstract :
The use of GaInP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) for integrated circuit applications is demonstrated. The discrete devices fabricated showed excellent DC characteristics with low V/sub ce/ offset voltage and very low temperature sensitivity of the current gain. For a non-self-aligned device with a 3- mu m*1.4- mu m emitter area, f/sub T/ was extrapolated to 45 GHz and f/sub max/ was extrapolated to 70 GHz. The measured 1/f noise level was 20 dB better than that of AlGaAs HBTs and comparable to that of low-noise silicon bipolar junction transistors, and the noise bump (Lorentzian component) was not observed. The fabricated gain block circuits showed 8.5 dB gain with a 3-dB bandwidth of 12 GHz, and static frequency dividers (divide by 4) were operable up to 8 GHz.<>
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; bipolar integrated circuits; frequency dividers; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; heterojunction bipolar transistors; indium compounds; random noise; semiconductor device noise; solid-state microwave devices; 1/f noise level; 12 GHz; 3-dB bandwidth; 45 GHz; 70 GHz; 8 GHz; 8.5 dB; DC characteristics; GaInP-GaAs; GaInP/GaAs HBTs; current gain; cutoff frequency; gain block circuits; heterojunction bipolar transistors; high-speed integrated circuit applications; low temperature sensitivity; maximum frequency of operation; nonself-aligned device; offset voltage; static frequency dividers; Application specific integrated circuits; Bipolar integrated circuits; Gallium arsenide; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; High speed integrated circuits; Low voltage; Noise level; Noise measurement; Silicon; Temperature sensors;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
