Experimental microwave results on an ion-implanted GaAs slow-wave monolithic structure

The use of mega-electronvolt ion implantation for the realization of a GaAs monolithically compatible device is demonstrated. Ion implants up to 6 MeV in energy are used employing Si and S atoms. The fabricated device is an electromagnetic slow-wave microstrip-like structure designed for performance into the millimeter-wave regime. Phase shift θ and insertion loss L measurements are performed for frequencies of 2-18 GHz at room temperature. Comparison of the experimental ion-implanted device results to epitaxial device results indicates comparable performance, with no more than a 30-percent reduction in θ but with an improvement in loss behavior, namely an L reduction upto 40 percent.