Microwave noise performance of AlGaN-GaN HEMTs with small DC power dissipation

Author

Moon, J.S. ; Micovic, M. ; Kurdoghlian, A. ; Janke, P. ; Hashimoto, P. ; Wong, W.-S. ; McCray, L. ; Nguyen, C.

Author_Institution

HRL Labs. LLC, Malibu, CA, USA

Volume

23

Issue

11

fYear

2002

Firstpage

637

Lastpage

639

Abstract

We report low microwave noise performance of discrete AlGaN-GaN HEMTs at DC power dissipation comparable to that of GaAs-based low-noise FETs. At 1-V source-drain (SD) bias and DC power dissipation of 97 mW/mm, minimum noise figures (NF_min) of 0.75 dB at 10 GHz and 1.5 dB at 20 GHz were achieved, respectively. A device breakdown voltage of 40 V was observed. Both the low microwave noise performance at small DC power level and high breakdown voltage was obtained with a shorter SD spacing of 1.5 μm in 0.15-μm gate length GaN HEMTs. By comparison, NF_min with 2 μm SD spacing was 0.2 dB greater at 10 GHz.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium compounds; high electron mobility transistors; microwave field effect transistors; semiconductor device breakdown; semiconductor device noise; wide band gap semiconductors; 0.15 micron; 0.75 to 1.5 dB; 1.5 micron; 10 to 20 GHz; 2 micron; 40 V; AlGaN-GaN; DC power dissipation; device breakdown voltage; discrete AlGaN-GaN HEMTs; high breakdown voltage; low noise performance; microwave noise performance; Aluminum gallium nitride; FETs; Gallium nitride; HEMTs; MODFETs; Microwave devices; Noise figure; Noise level; Noise measurement; Power dissipation;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LED.2002.803766

Filename

1097937