Pulsed I-V and temperature measurement system for characterisation of microwave FETs

Systems for pulsed I-V characterisation of GaAs devices must meet specific requirements concerning not just accuracy and pulse width but also the way the measurements are performed and the definition of various quantities which need to be measured in order to acquire a full picture of the device behaviour. Over the last few years such a system has been iteratively developed and tested at the University of Kent at Canterbury. In the light of the experience gained, a number of new measuring concepts together with some vital observations are presented, raising doubts about the validity of currently existing interpretations of pulsed characteristics. Also the design of an inexpensive system incorporating the new concepts is briefly described.<>