A high-linearity inverse-mode SiGe BiCMOS RF switch

Author

Madan, Anuj ; Cressler, John ; Joseph, Alvin

Author_Institution

Sch. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Georgia Inst. of Technol., Atlanta, GA, USA

fYear

2010

Firstpage

61

Lastpage

64

Abstract

The utilization of inverse-mode operation of the SiGe HBT in a single-pole, single-throw RF switch designed for high-linearity and high-power handling applications is investigated for the first time. By swapping the base-emitter junction with base-collector junction for switching, record linearity performance is obtained for SiGe BiCMOS switches at X-band frequencies, while maintaining comparable insertion loss. An IIP3 of 35 dBm and P1dB of 20 dBm is obtained while consuming 29.7 mW of dc power in the ON state. The inverse-mode switch did not show any degradation up to an RF power level of 30 dBm. The reliability mechanisms in SiGe BiCMOS RF switches is understood to be junction damage in the series-diode switching element.

Keywords

BiCMOS integrated circuits; Ge-Si alloys; integrated circuit reliability; microwave switches; SiGe; base-collector junction; base-emitter junction; high-linearity inverse-mode BiCMOS RF switch; high-power handling applications; power 29.7 mW; series-diode switching element; single-pole RF switch; single-throw RF switch; BiCMOS integrated circuits; Insertion loss; Junctions; Radio frequency; Silicon germanium; Switches; Switching circuits; IIP3; P1dB; RF stress; RF switch; SiGe BiCMOS process technology; X-band;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM), 2010 IEEE

Conference_Location

Austin, TX

ISSN

1088-9299

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-8578-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/BIPOL.2010.5667960

Filename

5667960