Semiconductor technologies for higher frequencies

An overview of the semiconductor active devices available for 100-GHz and 100-Gb/s applications is given, based on semiconductor properties and device requirements. The most widespread technologies are then described, and then the status of competing technologies is given in two different areas: frequency dividers, which illustrate the suitability of a technology for high-speed digital circuits, and oscillators, which illustrate their behavior in analog circuits applications. The aim of this presentation was to illustrate the variety and potential impact of these evolving technologies with consistently increasing frequency performance. While the improvement of device performance relied for a long time only on the reduction of dimensions permitted by progress in lithography, heterostructures and strain engineering are now powerful means by which to enhance performance, in both speed and power, to a level that opens a door to the 100-GHz and 100-Gb/s application arena.