High Performance Dual Recess 0.15-μm pHEMT for Multi-Function MMIC Applications

This paper describes a dual recess 0.15-μm gate length pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) technology for multi-function MMIC applications at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies. This 0.15-μm power pHEMT not only produces high efficiency power amplification at Ka- and Q-band but also exhibits excellent noise and third-order-intercept (TOI) performance. At 35 GHz, output power density of 0.86 W/mm, power gain of 5.6 dB, and power-added efficiencies of 38 to 44 % were demonstrated. Low noise figure of 1.0 dB at 26 GHz was also measured. Additionally, we have demonstrated a gain of 11.7 dB and a TOI of 35 dBm at 18 GHz for a 300-μm unit cell. This microwave device technology is suitable for producing high performance power amplifier, low noise receiver, high linearity, transmit/receive and multi-function MMICs.