Extremely low-noise amplification with cryogenic FETs and HFETs: 1970-2004

Author

Pospieszalski, Marian W.

Author_Institution

National Radio Astron. Obs., Charlottesville, VA, USA

Volume

6

Issue

3

fYear

2005

Firstpage

62

Lastpage

75

Abstract

This is a review of developments and milestones in the FET and HFET field, including experimental results compared to model predictions. The noise performance of cryogenic FETs and HFETs has made tremendous progress over the last several decades. The most rapid advances seem to have occurred between 1980 and 1995. Three different generations of HFETs were proposed and reduced to practice during that period. Since 1995, no significant new ground has been broken in device technology. However, InP HFET technology has matured and allowed construction of extremely low-noise amplifiers. These amplifiers were used in the construction of several instruments for the investigation of the physics of the early universe.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; cryogenic electronics; field effect transistor circuits; field effect transistors; indium compounds; radiofrequency amplifiers; semiconductor device models; semiconductor device noise; III-V semiconductors; InP; cryogenic FET; cryogenic HFET; cryogenic electronics; field effect transistor circuits; field effect transistors; low-noise amplification; low-noise amplifiers; radiofrequency amplifiers; semiconductor device models; semiconductor device noise; Cryogenics; FETs; Frequency; Gallium arsenide; HEMTs; MODFETs; Schottky diodes; Semiconductor device noise; Superconducting device noise; Temperature;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Magazine, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1527-3342

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/MMW.2005.1511915

Filename

1511915