Circuit for monitoring BJT RF performance using DC measurements

Author

Fox, Robert M. ; Chawla, R. ; Eisenstadt, W.R. ; Hemmenway, D. ; Johnston, J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Florida Univ., Gainesville, FL, USA

Volume

37

Issue

9

fYear

2002

fDate

9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1207

Lastpage

1210

Abstract

A test circuit is described for on-wafer monitoring of high-frequency performance of bipolar junction transistors using only dc measurements. The test circuit includes an oscillation-amplitude detector and a high-frequency (∼3 GHz) oscillator whose minimum bias current for oscillation I_osc correlates strongly with the transistors´ maximum oscillation frequency f_max. Variations in the circuit´s I_osc can be routinely monitored to track changes in f_max caused by process variations. Monte Carlo simulations showed a correlation coefficient of -0.79 between I_osc and f_max. Variations in measured f_max intentionally introduced through layout variations were verified to be strongly correlated with I_osc.

Keywords

BiCMOS analogue integrated circuits; Monte Carlo methods; circuit simulation; frequency measurement; microwave bipolar transistors; microwave oscillators; process monitoring; semiconductor device measurement; semiconductor device testing; 3 GHz; BJT RF performance; BiCMOS technology; DC measurements; IC process development; Monte Carlo simulations; bipolar junction transistors; correlation coefficient; high-frequency oscillator; high-frequency performance; layout variations; maximum oscillation frequency; minimum bias current for oscillation; on-wafer monitoring; oscillation-amplitude detector; process variations; test monitoring circuit; Bipolar transistor circuits; Capacitance; Circuit testing; Detectors; Fluid flow measurement; Inductors; Monitoring; Oscillators; Radio frequency; Semiconductor device measurement;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9200

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/JSSC.2002.801203

Filename

1028100