An array-based design methodology for the realisation of 94GHz MMMIC amplifiers

In this paper we report an array-based design methodology for the realisation of monolithic millimetre-wave integrated circuits (MMMICs). This work focuses on the realisation of a 94GHz MMMlC amplifier using an array-based approach by integrating high performance 50nm T-gate InP-HEMTs with an f, of 480GHz and a Si₃N₄ Metal Insulator Metal (MIM) capacitor technology formed using room temperature inductively coupled plasma chemical vapour deposition (ICP-CVD) nitride deposition together with a range of more conventional coplanar waveguide-based passive components. A single stage amplifier, predicted to have a gain of 8 dB and return loss of better than -1OdB at 94 GH& demonstrated experimentally a gain of SdB and a return loss of better than -6dB across a bandwidth of 1GHz from 89GHz to 96GHz at the designed bias point . The use of a room temperature nitride deposition process allows all passive components to he realised after active device realisation, and enables a mm-wave ??sea-of-gates?? arraybased design methodology.