GaAs HBT´s for analog circuits

Silicon bipolar integrated circuit (IC) technology has dominated the analog IC world for over two decades. As the push for wider bandwidths with higher precision continues, the emergence of GaAs HBT technology is destined to challenge silicon bipolar´s domination at the high end of the analog market. This paper discusses the analog application areas best suited to GaAs HBT technology, points out its unique characteristics for analog circuits, describes the design issues for key analog building block circuits, and provides comparative examples of demonstrated state-of-the-art analog circuits. Finally, a projection of future direction in this application area is provided