Multiphysics Modeling of RF and Microwave High-Power Transistors

Author

Aaen, Peter H. ; Wood, John ; Bridges, Daren ; Zhang, Lei ; Johnson, Eric ; Plá, Jaime A. ; Barbieri, Travis ; Snowden, Christopher M. ; Everett, John P. ; Kearney, Michael J.

Author_Institution

RF Div., Freescale Semicond. Inc., Tempe, AZ, USA

Volume

60

Issue

12

fYear

2012

Firstpage

4013

Lastpage

4023

Abstract

In this paper, we present a multiphysics approach for the simulation of high-power RF and microwave transistors, in which electromagnetic, thermal, and nonlinear transistor models are linked together within a harmonic-balance circuit simulator. This approach is used to analyze a laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor that has a total gate width of 102 mm and operates at 2.14 GHz. The transistor die is placed in a metal-ceramic package, with bond-wire arrays connecting the die to the package leads. The effects of three different gate bond-pad layouts on the transistor efficiency are studied. Through plots of the spatial distributions of the drain efficiency and the time-domain currents and voltages across the die, we reveal for the first time unique interactions between the electromagnetic effects of the layout and the microwave behavior of the large-die LDMOS power field-effect transistor.

Keywords

microwave power transistors; power field effect transistors; LDMOS power field effect transistor; LDMOS transistor; bond wire arrays; diffused metal oxide semiconductor transistor; drain efficiency; electromagnetic effects; electromagnetic transistor model; frequency 2.14 GHz; gate bond pad layouts; harmonic balance circuit simulator; high power RF; metal ceramic package; microwave behavior; microwave high power transistors; multiphysics modeling; nonlinear transistor model; package leads; size 102 nm; spatial distributions; thermal transistor model; time domain currents; transistor die; transistor efficiency; Computational modeling; Electromagnetics; Integrated circuit modeling; Logic gates; Temperature measurement; Transistors; Transmission line measurements; Electrothermal; global modeling; laterally diffused metal–oxide–semiconductor (LDMOS) transistor; power field-effect transistor (FET);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMTT.2012.2224366

Filename

6363496