Towards analogue GaAs LSI for signal processing

GaAs technologies are maturing quite rapidly and so, coupled with the advancement in circuit techniques, much larger levels of integration will soon be possible. In the development of suitable circuit techniques, emphasis has been placed upon the necessary minimisation of chip area and power consumption. From the simulation results for integrated GaAs high precision filters, circuit switching frequencies as high as 500 MHz are expected and test results will be reported in due course when fabricated chips are available. For larger integrated systems, the minimum realisable gate width and minimum unit capacitance currently present limitations due to their effect on chip area and power consumption. In the context of the present technological restrictions, significant reductions in chip area have been achieved. Comparable reduction of power consumption is now a necessary step towards the much larger levels of integration warranted for the successful application of GaAs for analogue signal processing applications