60 GHz power performance of 0.1 μm gate-length InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs

We report the DC and power results for 0.1 μm gate-length double heterojunction InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs with lattice-matched, pseudomorphic and p-type InGaAs channels. At 60 GHz, 0.1 μm×50 μm HEMTs with a lattice-matched channel yielded peak power-added efficiency (PAE) of 49% with power density of 0.30 W/mm and power gain of 8.6 dB. When biased and tuned for maximum output power, the devices delivered 20.6 mW output power (0.41 W/mm power density) with 45% PAE and 8.0 dB power gain. The p-channel devices exhibited a lower output power density and efficiency due to the low channel current. The 200 μm wide devices with pseudomorphic channel demonstrated 50% PAE with 6.7 dB power gain and 0.30 W/mm power density. Furthermore, the 400 μm wide pseudomorphic channel devices delivered an output power of 192 mW (0.48 W/mm power density) with 30% PAE and 4.4 dB power gain. These results represent the highest PAE and power gain ever reported for any transistor at 60 GHz