Title :
A 1.5-GHz programmable divide-by-N GaAs counter
Author :
Kane, M.G. ; Chan, Philip Y. ; Cherensky, Steven S. ; Fowlis, D. Colin
Author_Institution :
Microwave Semicond. Corp., Somerset, NJ, USA
fDate :
4/1/1988 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A GaAs divide-by-N programmable counter has been fabricated for use in microwave frequency synthesizers and other applications. The counter uses a 1-μm depletion-mode MESFET process. The counter is typically capable of dividing an input frequency of DC to 1.5 GHz by any divisor from 3 to 64 over a temperature range of -60 to 100°C. Input and output translators are incorporated to render the device fully compatible with emitter-coupled logic (ECL) logic levels. Power dissipation for the chip is 1.4 W. A custom gigahertz-rate automated digital IC tester has been used to characterize the counter. Reliability data to date indicate a minimum mean time to failure (MTTF) of 1.8×106 h at 100°C
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; counting circuits; field effect integrated circuits; frequency dividers; frequency synthesizers; gallium arsenide; reliability; solid-state microwave circuits; -60 to 100 C; 0 to 1.5 GHz; 1 micron; 1.4 W; 1.8E6 h; ASIC; ECL compatible; GaAs counter; MTTF; VLSI; custom ICs; depletion-mode MESFET process; divide-by-N programmable counter; divisor; input translators; mean time to failure; microwave frequency synthesizers; output translators; power dissipation; reliability; temperature range; Counting circuits; Digital integrated circuits; Frequency conversion; Gallium arsenide; Logic devices; MESFETs; Microwave frequencies; Power dissipation; Synthesizers; Temperature distribution;
Journal_Title :
Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of
