Page 1
48.8mW Multi-cell InP HBT Amplifier with on-wafer power
combining at 220GHz
Thomas Reed, Mark RodwellUniversity of California, Santa Barbara
Zach Griffith, Petra Rowell, Miguel Urteaga, Mark Field, Jon HackerTeledyne Scientific & Imaging, LLC
[email protected]
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.42
220 GHz InP HBT Power Amplifier
10/19/2011
mm-Wave Power in Communications and Imaging
250nm Indium Phosphide HBT Technology MMIC Power Amplifier Cells & Combiners Multi-cell Power Amplifier Results
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.43
mm-Wave Power in Communications and Imaging
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.44
Systems at High Frequency
10/19/2011
High Bandwidth Communications PRec decreases as
High Resolution Imaging Systems PRec decreases as
Tx/Rx Challenges: Atmospheric Attenuation
~2.5 dB/km @ 220 GHz +3-30dB/km w/ Fog/Rain
High Noise Figure ~10 dB(InP)
2
2
R
4
4
R
Wiltse, 1997IEEE APS-Symposium,
sealevel
4 km
9 km
220 GHz
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.45
mm-Wave Comm. requires large power
10/19/2011
Minimum Received Power
Transmission Losses 300m
Minimum Transmitted Power 29.2 dBm = 0.83 W
100dB139dB20dBi20dBi1dBR4
λGGP
P 2
rtα-
t
rec
Re
PA LNA . . .. . .
70.8dBm)3dB(Q)90dB(1Gbps10dB(NF)z173.8dBm/HP
kTFBQP2
minrec,
2minrec,
0.83W29.2dBmPt
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.46
mm-Wave PA Results
10/19/2011
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
80 90100 200 300
Reed, et al. InP HBTInP HEMTOther InP HBTGaN
Pou
t (dB
m)
Frequency (GHz)
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.47
250nm InP HBT Process
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.48
Device High Performance Operating Area
10/19/2011
Jmax = 12mA/um2
Vbe,on = 0.85V VBcbo = 4.5V Pmax = 15mW/um2
Vce,hf = 3V high bandwidth
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
0 1 2 3 4 50
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
J e (mA/
m2 )
Vce (V)
10mW/m2
250nm, 4-finger HBT, Le,tot
= 24m
Ib,step
= 0.30mA
15mW/m2
Ic (mA)
Data courtesy Zach GriffithQuiescient Bias Point/Class A load line
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.49
ƒt,ƒmax varies with DC Bias
10/19/2011
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 1 2 3 4 5
J e (mA
/m
2 )
Vce (V)
384,435 f,f
max
431,730 f,f
max
398,716 f,f
max
345,650 f,f
max
275,550 f,f
max
217,452 f,f
max
175,384 f,f
max
124,290 f,f
max
Reference units, GHz
ft/fmax peak = 400/700 GHz
ft/fmax =350/590 GHz
Highly degraded bandwidth above Vce=3V
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.410
Multi-finger HBT Modeling
10/19/2011
Device Modeling Hole in Ground Plane Multi-finger HBT
performance verified
4-finger HBT Aemitter= 4x 0.25x6μm2
ft/fmax = 333/530GHz
1-finger HBT ft/fmax =
350/590GHz
Emitter Base
Collector
Ground Plane
Another 4-finger cell
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.411
Non-Inverted Microstrip Wiring
10/19/2011
Local GND Wider 50Ω than inv. microstrip Must Model Holes in GND plane
MIM Capacitors, Thin-Film Resistors
Metal 1
Metal 2
Metal 3
Metal 4
MIM CAP
5µm1µm1µm
(εr = 2.7) BCB
GND
BCB
BCB
50 Ω
15µm
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.412
MMIC Power Amplifier Cells & Combiners
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.413
MMIC Power Amplifier Cell Design
10/19/2011
/finger11118mA
2VΔIΔV
0.0
2.0
4.0
6.0
8.0
10.0
12.0
0 1 2 3 4 50
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
J e (mA/
m2 )
Vce (V)
10mW/m2
250nm, 4-finger HBT, Le,tot
= 24m
Ib,step
= 0.30mA
15mW/m2
Ic (mA)ΔI
ΔVCascode Amplifier Topology
Gain, Input/Output Isolation, Interconnects: ADS Momentum
High ZoMIM
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.414
A 4-finger Amplifier Cell
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.415
A 4-finger Amplifier Cell
10/19/2011λ/4 Chokes
CE CB
DC Supplies
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.416
A 4-finger Amplifier Cell
10/19/2011
DC Block
Input MatchingOutput Tuning
Bypass Cap
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.417
Combining for High MMIC Power
10/19/2011
Combine 4:1 and 2:1 for larger total power
Limits to combiners Large IL at L ≥ λg/4
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.418
2:1 Power Combiner
10/19/2011
2-Cell Power Amplifier with 2:1 power combining. The die is 0.7x0.58 mm2.
Cell
Combiner
Measured 1.25dB insertion loss for Back-to-back Combiners
-40-35-30-25-20-15-10-50
200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340
S11 Measured
S21 MeasuredS-Pa
ram
eter
s (d
B)
Frequency (GHz)
√2 * Zo
√2 * ZoZoL = λ/4
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.419
4:1 Power Combiner
10/19/2011
4-cell InP HBT amplifier with 4-1 power combiners. The die is 0.7x0.65 mm2.
Cell Combiner
Reduced to Lumped L/C for design
-15
-10
-5
0
200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340
S21 MeasuredS21 Simulated
S-p
aram
eter
s (d
B)
Frequency (GHz)
Measured 1.3 dB Insertion Loss for Back-to-back 4:1 power Combiners.
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.420
48.8 mW 4-finger Power Amplifiers
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.421
MMIC Measurements and Data
10/19/2011
Small Signal Measurement VNA with 206-340 GHz
frequency extender heads SOLT calibration for
circuits Power Sweep
Measurement 200 & 220 GHz frequency
multiplier chains and sub-mm wave power meter
Insertion Loss Calibration VDISource
ToMeter
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.422
2-Cell PA Results
10/19/2011
02468
101214
-10 -5 0 5 10
Pou
t (dB
m)
Pin (dBm)
2-Cell HBT Power Amplifier
LL1, Pout,max
= 26.3mWLL2, P
out,max = 23.7mW
LL3, Pout,max
= 20.3mW
Operating frequency = 208GHz
-35-30-25-20-15-10
-505
200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340
S11 MeasuredS11 SimulatedS22 MeasuredS22 SimulatedS
-par
amet
ers
(dB
)
Frequency (GHz)
-20-15-10
-505
1015
200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340
S21 MeasuredS21 Simulated
S-p
aram
eter
s (d
B)
Frequency (GHz)
S21=10.9 dB @ 220GHzPout,max=26.3mW @ 208GHz
ΔV = 2, 2.5, 3V
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.423
4-Cell PA Results
10/19/2011
-20-15-10-505
1015
200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340
S21 MeasuredS21 Simulated
SPar
amet
ers
(dB
)
Frequency (GHz)
-35-30-25-20-15-10-505
200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340
S11 MeasuredS11 SimulatedS22 MeasuredS22 Simulated
SPar
amet
ers
(dB
)
Frequency (GHz)
S21 = 10.1 dB @ 220 GHz Pout ≈ 48mW @ 210-220GHz
2468
1012141618
4.05.06.07.08.09.0101112
-10 -5 0 5 10 15
Pou
t (dB
m) G
ain (dB)
Pin (dBm)
Operating frequency = 220GHz
4-Cell HBT Power Amplifier
Pout
= 48.8mW
Gain
Pout
2025303540455055
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
205 210 215 220 225 230
Pou
t (mW
) Gain (dB
)
Frequency (GHz)
Gain
Pout
47.9mW 48.8mW
40.2mW
32.1mW5.1dB
4.5dB4.2dB3.7dB
6.2dB
49.7mW
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.424
8-Cell Power Amplifiers
10/19/2011
Pout = 66.1mW @ 215 GHzS21,max = 9.1dB @ 217 GHz3dB Bandwidth 206-242GHz
-5
0
5
10
15
20
5.05.56.06.57.07.58.08.5
-10 -5 0 5 10 15
Pou
t (dB
m) G
ain (dB)
Pin (dBm)
Operating frequency = 220GHz
8-Cell HBT Power Amplifier
Pout
= 58.4mW
Gain
Pout
Measured Pout limited by 220GHz source power
.
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
200 220 240 260 280 300 320 340
S-p
aram
eter
s (d
B)
Frequency (GHz)
S21
S11S11
S22
8-Cell Amplifier
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.425
Linear Power Density
10/19/2011
InP HBT process is a competitive high power-density technology.
mmW0.51
m6P
DensityPower Linear
3.05mW4fingersP
P
12.2mW4cellsP
P
48.8mWP
finger out,
cell out,finger out,
amp out,cellout,
amp out,
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.426
Recapitulation
10/19/2011
Modular amplifier cells have been designed to have high gain and high output power.
4-cell amplifiers show 48.8 mW saturated output power at 220 GHz using InP HBTs.
8-cell amplifiers show 58 mW output power at 220 GHz but measurements were limited by source power.
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.427
THANK YOU!
10/19/2011
CSICS Technical Committee Zach Griffith, Mark Rodwell, and Mark Field UCSB Rodwell Group Members DARPA MTO HiFive Program
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.428
Questions?
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.429
Bonus Slides
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.430
mm-Wave Power Amplifiers
10/19/2011
Current Power Amplifier Results
30 30005
101520253035
Pout (dB) vs. Freq (GHz)
KeyBlack – GaN
Red – InP HEMTGreen – My InP HBT Results
Yellow – Other InP HBT Results
Fab Author Paper Journal/Conference
Raytheon Brown, A. W-band GaN amplifier MMICs IMS 2011UCSB Reed, T. 66.1 mW InP HBT Power Amplifier * Not Published Yet
UCSB Reed, T.
48.8 mW Multi-cell InP HBT Amplifier with on-wafer power combining at 220 GHz CSICS 2011
NGST Radisic, V.A 50mW 220GHZ Power Amplifier Module IMS 2010
NGST Huang, P.P.A 20mW G-band monolithic driver amplifier using 0.07-um InP HEMT IEEE MTT-S 2006
UCSB Paidi
G-band (140-220GHz) and W-band (75-110GHz) InP DHBT medium power amplifiers
IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech Feb 2005
NGST Deal, W.R.Development of Sub-Millimeter-Wave Power Amplifiers
IEEE Trans. Microwave Theory Tech Dec 2007
NGST Chen, Y.C.
A 95-GHz InP HEMT MMIC amplifier with 427-mW power output
IEEE Microwave and Guided Wave Letters Nov 1998
UCSB Reed, T.
3.0 mW Common Base Power Amplifier with 3 dB Small Signal Gain at 221 GHz in InP DHBT Technology
Lester Eastman Conference 2010
NGST Mei, X.B.
Sub-50nm InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HEMT for sub-millimeter wave power amplifier applications IPRM 2010
NGST Deal, W.R.A balanced sub-millimeter wave power amplifier IMS Digest 2008
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.431
DC Blocking Capacitors
10/19/2011
Ground Plane hole Large enough to represent
a short at 220GHz. Blocking Caps create a
hole in the ground plane Inductance (Think Slot
Antenna)
Port 1 Port 2
Ground Plane
Collector MetalGround Extension
DC Block Cap
Metal 1
Metal 2MIM CAP
GNDGND
Collector Metal
Metal 2Port 1 Port 2
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.432
System Components at High Frequency
10/19/2011
High Frequency LNAs 94 GHz InP mHEMT: 3dB NF
(Mikko Karkkainen, et al. Coplanar 94 GHz Metamorphic HEMT Low Noise Amplifiers. CSICS 2006.)
150-215 GHz InP HBT: 5-12dB NF (Samoska, L. Towards Terahertz MMIC Amplifiers: Present Status and
Trends. MTT-S 2006.) 300 GHz InP HBT LNA: 11.2dB NF
(J. Hacker, et al. THz MMICs based on InP HBT Technology. IMS 2010.) 670 GHz InP HEMT: 13dB NF
(Deal, W.R., et al. Low Noise Amplification at 0.67 THz Using 30nm InP HEMTs. Microwave and Wireless Components Letters July 2011.)
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.433
Rain, Fog, & Humidy Reduce Range and Reliability
rain
heavy rain
tropical deluge
Olsen, Rogers, Hodge, IEEE Trans Antennas & Propagation Mar 1978
very heavy fog
Liebe, Manabe, Hufford, IEEE Trans Antennas and Propagation, Dec. 1989
Manabe, Yoshida, .1993 EEE Int. Conf. on Communications,
rain 50 mm/hr: 20 dB/km, 30-1000 GHz 150 mm/hr : 50 dB/km, 30-1000 GHz Clouds, heavy fog: ~(25 dB/km)x(frequency/500 GHz)90% Humidity: >30 dB/km above 300 GHznondominant below 250 GHz (Rosker 2007 IEEE IMS)
10/19/2011
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Thomas Reed UCSB CSICS M.434
MMIC Measurements and Data
10/19/2011
“Load Pull” Station Power Sweep using VDI 200
GHz and 220GHz Multiplier Chain
Calorimeter—Erickson sub-mm wave power meter
Calibration Insertion Loss calibration
with the reference plane at the probe tips
Waveguide flange to probe tip insertion loss ~1.7dB
VDISource
ToMeter
Above Photo Courtesy Zach Griffith