Multifunction SAG process for high-yield, low-cost GaAs microwave integrated circuits

Author

Bahl, I.J. ; Drinkwine, Monte J. ; Geissberger, Arthur E. ; Griffin, Edward L. ; Grzyb, Joseph A.

Author_Institution

ITT Gallium Arsenide Technol. Center, Roanoke, VA, USA

Volume

38

Issue

9

fYear

1990

fDate

9/1/1990 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1175

Lastpage

1182

Abstract

A new fully planar, multifunction refractory self-aligned gate (MSAG) technology suitable for the fabrication of GaAs small-signal and power microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMICs) is demonstrated in a manufacturing environment. Data on the distribution of DC and RF performance and yield for pilot production of discrete FETs and MMICs are presented. The heart of the MSAG process is a planar, self-aligned gate FET. It uses a refractory TiWN Schottky gate and exhibits high performance for small-signal microwave, power microwave, and digital circuit applications. Lots with good wafer yields have demonstrated average chip yields on PCM good wafers of 45%, 49%, and 36% for 2-10-GHz distributed amplifiers, 1-W C-band power amplifiers, and 4-W power amplifiers, respectively

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MMIC; field effect integrated circuits; gallium arsenide; integrated circuit manufacture; integrated circuit technology; microwave amplifiers; power amplifiers; power integrated circuits; 1 W; 2 to 10 GHz; 4 W; C-band power amplifiers; DC performance; GaAs; MMICs; RF performance; Schottky gate; TiWN; chip yields; digital circuit; distributed amplifiers; manufacturing environment; multifunction refractory self-aligned gate; pilot production; power microwave monolithic integrated circuits; self-aligned gate FET; small signal microwave circuits; yield; Distributed amplifiers; Fabrication; Gallium arsenide; Integrated circuit manufacture; Integrated circuit technology; MMICs; Microwave technology; Monolithic integrated circuits; Power amplifiers; Radio frequency;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/22.58640

Filename

58640