Full-wave modeling of sub-millimeter wave diode parasitics

Intrinsic carrier dynamics and extrinsic parasitic couplings of zero-bias millimeter-wave and submillimeter-wave diodes are investigated in the context of THz integrated circuits. More specifically, a two-step diode characterization procedure, aimed at improving device performance in the THz band is developed. Intrinsic and extrinsic effects are considered independently to clearly identify the factors impacting high frequency operation. Numerical examples, involving a sub-mmW Schottky barrier diode are presented to illustrate the working mechanism of the proposed characterization technique.