Title :
33 GHz monolithic cascode AlInAs/GaInAs heterojunction bipolar transistor feedback amplifier
Author :
Rodwell, Mark ; Jensen, J.F. ; Stanchina, W.E. ; Metzger, R.A. ; Rensch, D.B. ; Pierce, M.W. ; Kargodorian, T.V. ; Allen, Y.K.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., California Univ., Santa Barbara, CA, USA
Abstract :
Implemented with 70-GHz fmax, 90-GHz fτ AlInAs/GaInAs devices, 8.6-dB gain and DC 33-GHz bandwidth were attained for a monolithic active-biased cascode bipolar feedback amplifier. Because of the significant collector-base feedback time constant, the cascode configuration provides a large improvement in amplifier bandwidth, but a low-impedance bias node must be provided for the common-base transistor. An active bias network was thus used. The resulting 33-GHz amplifier bandwidth (and predicted noise figure) is competitive with AlGaAs/GaAs MODFET travelling-wave amplifiers, but with a much smaller die area (excluding bond pads) of 200 μm×225 μm. The AlInAs/GaInAs monolithic feedback amplifiers are extremely small, wideband gain blocks suitable for use as subcomponents in complex MMICs and MIMICs
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; MMIC; aluminium compounds; bipolar integrated circuits; feedback; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; indium compounds; microwave amplifiers; wideband amplifiers; 33 GHz; 70 GHz; 8.6 dB; 90 GHz; AlInAs-GaInAs; HBT; MIMICs; MM-wave type; MMICs; active bias network; cascode configuration; common-base transistor; heterojunction bipolar transistor; low-impedance bias node; monolithic feedback amplifiers; wideband gain blocks; Bandwidth; Bonding; Broadband amplifiers; Feedback amplifiers; Gallium arsenide; HEMTs; Heterojunctions; MMICs; MODFETs; Noise figure;
Conference_Titel :
Bipolar Circuits and Technology Meeting, 1990., Proceedings of the 1990
Conference_Location :
Minneapolis, MN
DOI :
10.1109/BIPOL.1990.171177
