Advanced Silicon Technology for Microwave Circuits
Abstract
MICROX is a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology using high resistivity (>3,000 ohm-cm) silicon substrates to integrate RF and digital circuits. Channel length (down to 1/4 micrometers) and gate arrangement influences on frequency, power, and noise performance of FETs were characterized. Processing steps for MICROX MMICs (Miniature Microwave Integrated Circuits) were identified and developed. The best MICROX power result was 250 mW per mm of gate periphery (8.45 dB of associated gain, 49% Power Added Efficiency (PAE)) at 2 GHz from a non-LDD device (gate length of 0.55 micrometers). At 10 GHz an LDD FET (gate length, 1/4 Am) delivered 60 mW/mm of power (PAE, 19%; gain, 4.6 dB). The best broadband noise figure (non-LDD FET; gate length, 0.48 micrometer) was 0.8 dB with 17.7 dB of associated gain at 2 GHz. These results are superior to those reported for alternative types of high frequency silicon FETS. Demonstration circuits (several L/S band amplifiers, a multi-bit attenuator, and a FET mixer) were selected, designed, simulated, and implemented in MICROX. MICROX provides higher frequency capability than alternative silicon approaches by eliminating parasitic capacitances associated with low resistivity bulk silicon. With silicon IC fabrication methods, MICROX offers a reduced risk route to high volume, low cost manufacturing of RF and high speed digital ICs, compared to GaAs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 08, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA278039
Entities
People
- A. K. Agarwal
- J. R. Szedon
- M. H. Hanes
- M. M. Sopira
- T. J. Smith