Title :
SPDT GaAs Switches With Copper Metallized Interconnects
Author :
Wu, Y.C. ; Chang, E.Y. ; Lin, Y.C. ; Hsu, H.-T. ; Chen, S.H. ; Wu, W.C. ; Chu, L.H. ; Chang, C.Y.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Mater. Sci. & Eng., Nat. Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu
Abstract :
Copper metallized AlGaAs/InGaAs pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (PHEMT) single-pole-double-throw (SPDT) switches utilizing platinum (Pt, 70nm) as the diffusion barrier is reported for the first time. In comparison with the Au metallized switches, the Cu metallized SPDT switches exhibited comparable performance with insertion loss of less than 0.5dB, isolation larger than 35dB and the input power for one dB compression (input P1dB ) of 27dBm at 2.5GHz. These switches were annealed at 250deg for 20h for thermal stability test and showed no degradation of the dc characteristics after the annealing. Also, after 144h of high temperature storage life (HTSL) environment test, these switches still remained excellent and reliable radio frequency (RF) characteristics. It is successfully demonstrated for the first time that the copper metallization using Pt as the diffusion barrier could be applied to the GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuits switch fabrication with good RF performance and reliability
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; UHF devices; aluminium compounds; annealing; copper; field effect transistor switches; gallium arsenide; gold; indium compounds; metallisation; microwave switches; thermal stability; 144 h; 2.5 GHz; 20 h; 250 C; AlGaAs-InGaAs; Au; Cu; HEMT; diffusion barrier; high electron mobility transistor; high temperature storage life; insertion loss; metallized interconnects; single-pole-double-throw switch; thermal stability test; Annealing; Copper; Gallium arsenide; Indium gallium arsenide; Integrated circuit interconnections; Integrated circuit reliability; Metallization; PHEMTs; Radio frequency; Switches; Copper metallization; GaAs psedomophic high-electron-mobility transistor (PHEMT); platinum; single-pole-double-throw (SPDT); switch;
Journal_Title :
Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LMWC.2006.890340
