Monolithic integration of surge protection diodes into low-noise GaAs MESFET´s

For use in practical equipment, GaAs MESFET´s need Schottky gates with high energy tolerance against electrostatic discharge. This paper describes the design and fabrication technology related to the monolithic integration of protective diodes into low-noise GaAs MESFET´s. A new diode structure, the grooved sidewall junction diode (GSJD), is proposed which is well suited for suppressing deterioration of the FET´s RF performance. The GSJD was successfully integrated into the dual-gate low-noise GaAs FET for use in a UHF TV tuner. High energy tolerance of 50 erg was obtained in the device with a noise figure of 1.2 dB at 1 GHz.