Monolithic MIC Feasibility Study.
Abstract
The significance of this study to the Air Force is a review of prior monolithic microwave integrated circuit techniques in order to establish guide lines for future monolithic MIC developments. The principal difficulties encountered in prior monolithic MIC developments have been in the semiconductor substrates. A monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MIC) feasibility study was performed of three circuits; an RF switch, an RF phase shifter, and a parametric amplifier. The frequency range of interest was X-band (10 GHz). The technologies were silicon PIN diode for the RF switch and phase-shifter circuits and gallium-arsenide varactor and Gunn diodes for the parametric amplifier. A review is presented of prior monolithic MIC integrations for the silicon and gallium arsenide. An outline for future monolithic MIC development for the three circuits is presented based upon the feasibility studies performed during the program. An investigation of ion-implanted buried insulating layers in high-resistivity silicon was performed during the program. The buried insulating layers are required to prevent conductivity modulation of the high-resistivity silicon substrate by providing vertical isolation. Epitaxial depositions are grown over the buried layers, thus providing an alternative approach to silicon heteroepitaxy on spinel or sapphire for monolithic MIC. This approach, at present, is considered the more promising technology for silicon monolithic MIC on the basis of economics and material characteristics. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0907448
Entities
People
- John W. Wassel
Organizations
- Texas Instruments