Calibrations for Millimeter-Wave Silicon Transistor Characterization

Author

Williams, Dylan F. ; Corson, Phillip ; Sharma, Jaibir ; Krishnaswamy, Harish ; Wei Tai ; George, Zacharias ; Ricketts, David S. ; Watson, Paul M. ; Dacquay, Eric ; Voinigescu, S.P.

Author_Institution

Nat. Inst. of Stand. & Technol., Boulder, CO, USA

Volume

62

Issue

3

fYear

2014

fDate

Mar-14

Firstpage

658

Lastpage

668

Abstract

This paper compares on-wafer thru-reflect-line (TRL) and off-wafer short-open-load-thru (SOLT) and line-reflect-reflect-match (LRRM) vector-network-analyzer probe-tip calibrations for amplifier characterization and parasitic-extraction calibrations for transistor characterization on silicon integrated circuits at millimeter-wave frequencies. We show that on-wafer calibrations generally outperform off-wafer and LRRM probe-tip calibrations at millimeter-wave frequencies. However, certain parasitic-extraction algorithms designed specifically to remove contact pads, transmission-lines, and access vias correct for much of the error in off-wafer calibrations.

Keywords

calibration; elemental semiconductors; millimetre wave transistors; network analysers; silicon; Si; amplifier characterization; line-reflect-reflect-match vector-network-analyzer probe-tip calibrations; millimeter-wave frequencies; millimeter-wave silicon transistor characterization; off-wafer short-open-load-thru calibration; on-wafer thru-reflect-line calibration; parasitic-extraction calibrations; silicon integrated circuits; transmission-lines; Calibration; Power transmission lines; Probes; Silicon; Substrates; Transistors; Transmission line measurements; Calibration; measurement; millimeter wave; scattering parameters; silicon; transistor; vector network analyzer (VNA);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9480

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TMTT.2014.2300839

Filename

6728711