Extremely low-noise MESFETs fabricated by metal-organic chemical vapour deposition

Quarter-micron gate low-noise GaAs MESFETs have been developed by delineating gate electrodes by an electron-beam lithography technique and by using high-purity epiwafers prepared by a metal-organic-chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD) technique. At 18 GHz, a noise figure of 1.75 dB with an associated gain of 8.5 dB and a maximum available gain of 11 dB were obtained at drain currents of 10 mA and 30 mA, respectively. This is the lowest noise figure yet reported for low-noise GaAs MESFETs.