SiGe power HBTs and MMIC medium power amplifiers operated at 8-10 GHz

In this paper, we report the first performance characteristics of SiGe power HBTs and medium power MMIC power amplifiers operating at 8-10 GHz. SiGe power HBTs have been demonstrated using properly designed device structure and employing a proper operation configuration. It is illustrated that a box-type Ge profile with high Ge content can allow a high base doping level while still maintaining high breakdown voltages and without using submicron emitter stripes. The high doping level dramatically improves the power gain values of SiGe HBTs and makes the CB configuration more favorable for power amplification than CE configuration. High power performance has thus been achieved from SiGe HBTs at 8 and 10 GHz. Single-stage medium power amplifiers operating at 8 GHz has also been demonstrated using these SiGe HBTs.