A double-polysilicon bipolar process with a 0.3-μm minimum emitter width and NMOS transistors for low power wireless applications

A 0.6-μm 3.5-V silicon bipolar process is developed for low power and high speed operation in wireless applications. The process features 35-GHz f_T bipolar transistors with a 0.3-μm electrical emitter width, lateral pnp transistors, polysilicon-to-n⁺ plug capacitors, NMOS transistors with a 10-nm gate oxide layer for low on-resistance, and inductors fabricated using a double level metal process. Improvement of the low power and high speed performance of the npn transistors is demonstrated by examining the trade-offs among r_b+r_e, collector current required to achieve a fixed f_T, and device geometry. Microwave and RF capabilities are demonstrated by fabricating and characterizing low noise amplifiers and NMOS transistors