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Advances in Microwave & Millimeter-wave Integrated Circuits
Amin K. EzzeddineAMCOM Communications, Inc.
22300 Comsat DriveClarksburg, Maryland 20871, USA
Tel: 301-353-8400 email: [email protected]
الراديو شمس عين جامعة -الهندسة آلية
٢٠٠٧مارس ١٥-١٣
Twenty FourthNational Radio Science Conference(NRSC’2007)
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Presentation Outline
• Introduction to MMICs
• MMIC semiconductors and devices
• MMIC manufacturing and packaging
• MMIC design guidelines
• MMIC surveys and examples of novel MMIC circuits
• Conclusion and future trends
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Wireless Systems OutlineTX Power
DigitalSignalProcessing
AmpDigitalModulator
BBLO
Amp PA
RF / MWLO
Synthesizer
RF Mixer
CrystalReference
Amp Amp LNA
RF MixerAudio & VideoTransducer
RX Power
RF / MWLO
DigitalDemod.
BBLO
Synthesizer
DigitalSignalProcessing
CrystalReference
Audio & VideoTransducer
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MMIC Applications• Linear Components:
–– Switches: SPDT, SPNT, NPMT, ..etcSwitches: SPDT, SPNT, NPMT, ..etc–– Amplifiers: Amplifiers: LNAsLNAs, , PAsPAs, Drivers, Drivers–– Attenuators: Fixed, variable, digitalAttenuators: Fixed, variable, digital–– Phase Shifters: Fixed, variable, digitalPhase Shifters: Fixed, variable, digital
• Nonlinear Components:–– MixersMixers–– Frequency MultipliersFrequency Multipliers–– VCOsVCOs–– Phase DetectorsPhase Detectors–– Integrated Digital Circuits with RF circuitsIntegrated Digital Circuits with RF circuits
• Subsystems– RF front end: Down/Up-converters, LNB– PLL– Transmit/Receive Modules
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MIC versus MMIC Solution?
•• MIC Advantages:MIC Advantages:–– Fast & Low Cost DevelopmentFast & Low Cost Development–– Better Performance such as: NF, Efficiency, PBetter Performance such as: NF, Efficiency, P1dB1dB–– Variety of Dielectric MaterialsVariety of Dielectric Materials–– Integration of Different Semiconductor Technologies: Integration of Different Semiconductor Technologies:
MesfetsMesfets, Bipolar, Pin Diodes, Digital, Bipolar, Pin Diodes, Digital……etcetc–– Higher Levels of Integration is possible Higher Levels of Integration is possible
• MMIC Advantages:– Low unit Cost– Performance Uniformity from Unit to Unit– Very Small Size– Very Broadband Performance due to few parasitic effects– Simple Assembly Procedure
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Semiconductor Materials for MMICs
High power, limited availabilityHEMT130 W/ºC/mLow8.90.08m2/V/sGallium Nitride (GaN)
mm-wave MESFET, HEMT68 W/ºC/mLow140.60m2/V/sIndium Phosphide (InP)
Very high power below 5GHzMESFET430 W/ºC/mLow100.05m2/V/sSilicon Carbide (SiC)
Mature for low power mixed signal applications
LDMOS, RF CMOS, SiGe HBT (BiCMOS)145 W/ºC/mHigh11.70.14m2/V/sSilicon (Si)
PA, LNA, mixers, attenuators, switches, …etc
MESFET, HEMT, pHEMT, HBT, mHEMT
46 W/ºC/mLow12.90.85m2/V/sGallium Arsenide (GaAs)
ApplicationActive Device Technology
Thermal Conductivity
RF Lossεr
Electron Mobility
MMIC Semiconductors
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FET & Bipolar Device Structures
µ
(Not to scale)
Typical FET Structure Typical HBT Structure
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Typical Fabrication Steps of GaAs MESFET Process
µ
µ )
µ
µ
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Wafer & MMIC Examples
6” GaAs wafer
Ku-Band PA MMIC
Output Matching
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MMIC Component Snapshots
Single FET MMIC Components
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MMIC Recommended Processes
GaAs HBT1 -100GHzVCOSiGe BiCMOS1 – 50GHzLow Power Mixed SignalpHEMT20–100GHzMesfet0.1 – 20GHzSwitches for digital attenuators
and phase shifters
GaN10 – 30GHz
GaAs Mesfet, GaN, SiC1 - 10GHzHigh Power (> 100W)
pHEMT10 –100GHz
GaAs HBT, GaAs Mesfet1 -10GHzMedium Power (< 10W)
InP> 100GHz
GaAs pHEMT10 –100Ghz
GaAs Mesfet1-10GHzLow Noise AmplifiersDevice ProcessFrequencyApplication
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List of MMIC Foundries Worldwide
Only offers foundry services0.15µm, 0.5µm pHEMT and 1µm ,2µm HBT6” GaAsTao Yuan Shien,
TaiwanWIN Semiconductor
Offers foundry services &has a product line
0.15µm, 0.25µm pHEMT and 2µmHBT 4” GaAsUlm, Germany
Orsay, FranceUnited MonolithicSemiconductor
Offers foundry services &has a product line
0.15µm MHEMT,0.13,0.25, 0.35,0.5µm pHEMT,0.5µm & 0.6µmMesfet, 0.5µm, HFET,3µm InGaPHBT
6” GaAs &GaN
Portland, OR& Dallas, TX,USA
TriquintSemiconductor
Offers foundry services &has a product line
0.25µm & 0.5µm PHEMT, HFET &MESFET6” GaAsTainan, TaiwanTranscom
Offers foundry services &has a product lineSiGe BiCMOSSiGeOttawa, Ontario,
CanadaSiGe Semiconductor
Offers new foundry services& has a product lineGaN HEMTGaN on 4“
SiliconRaleigh, NC,USA
Nitronex
Offers foundry services &has a product line
0.18µm ,0.5µm & 1µmpHEMT,0.5µm & 1µm Mesfet, MSAG4” GaAs
Lowell, MA &Roanoke, VA,USA
M/A COM
Offers foundry services &has a product lineInGaP HBT6” GaAsIksan, S. KoreaKnowledge ON
Only offers foundry services0.18µm,0.25µm,0.35µm,0.5µm SiGeBiCMOS & 0.13µm, 0.18µm,0.25µmRFCMOS
SiliconBurlington, VT,USAIBM
Only offers foundry services0.5µm pHEMT, InGaP & InP HBT6” GaAsTorrance, CA,USAGCS
Offers foundry services &has a product line0.2µm pHEMT6” GaAsSanta Clara,
CA, USAFiltronics CompoundSemiconductors
Offers SiC foundry services& has a product lineGaN HEMT & SiC Mesfet3" SiC & GaNDurham, NC,
USACree
MarketProcesses offeredCapabilityLocationFoundry
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Essential MMIC Assembly Equipment
Class 10,000 Clean Room Eutectic Die Attach
Automatic BonderDie Pick & Place
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Packaging Examples: Carrier mounted
10W Module C-Band T/R Module
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Low Cost Packaged MMICs & Devices
a) Ceramic Drop-in b) SMT Ceramic c) SMT Plastic
d) Finished Products
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MMIC & Device Empty Packages
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MMIC Development Steps
DeviceSelectionSpecifications Block
Diagram
Preliminary Analysis & Layout
Design of Wafer DC & RF Tests
PackageDesign orSelection
AreSpecifications
Met?
Yes
No
MMIC Test Fixture Design
AreSpecifications
Met?
GaAs WaferFabrication
DC & RFTesting
Yes
No
New IIteration
New Design Configuration
To Pre ProductionPhase
FinalAnalysis &Layout
• 6 to 12 months• Foundry Service: $50,000 - $120,000
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MMIC Production Steps
Pre-ProductionSpecifications DC & RF
Testing
PreliminaryDataSheets
Life test Environmental Testing
AreSpecifications
Met?
Yes
No
To ProductionPhase
Final DataSheets
AreSpecifications
Met?Yes
No
Adjust Process
Tighten Process Parameters
DC & RF
all met
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MMIC DESIGN GUIDELINES
• Device Characterization
• Device Scaling
• Circuit Design and Simulation
• Chip Yield
• Thermal Analysis
• MMIC testing
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Device Characterization
• Device characterization accounts to 50% of design effort.
• Small signal testing include: S-parameters, NF …etc
• Large signal testing: DC data, I-V characteristics, power load-pull, efficiency, IMD & EVM
• Modeling should include all pads and transmission lines connected to test device
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Device Scaling
• Invariant parameters are: voltage, gain, NF, efficiency (η), linearity, fmax & fT
• Scaled parameters such as: current, P1dB , Psat , Zin, Zout, Zopt are all proportional to device periphery
• Device dimensions should be less than 5% of wavelength (λ)
• Device building block such as gate length (Lg) and gate width (Wg) cannot be scaled and should remain invariant.
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MMIC Design & Simulation
• Make it simple and use small number of matching elements
• Bode / Fano Theorem implies using resistive matching to achieve broadband matching
• Keep at least one substrate height between elements to avoid EM coupling
• Understand sources of simulation errors: EM coupling, non-standard library elements, layout inaccuracy, process variations, modeling errors
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Bode / Fano Theorem
o 0
1ln .| ( ) | o
dR C
πωω
∞
≤Γ∫ min.| | exp( )
( )b a o oR Cπ
ω ωΓ = −
−
2-PortMatchingNetwork Co Ro
Γ(ω)
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
0 5 10 15 20Load Quality Factor (QL)
Min
imum
Ref
lect
ion
Mis
mat
ch
50% BW
20% BW
10% BW
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Chip Yield
exp( )
exp( )
g g c c
m g g c cWafer CostWafer Area
Yield A D A D
Chip Cost A A D A D
= − −
= +
Ag is the total MMIC device gate or emitter area
Ac is the total MMIC capacitor area
Am is the MMIC chip area
Dg & Dc are critical defects per unit area
• Maximum MMIC area is 10 to 20mm2
• For very low cost the maximum area is usually < 2 to 3mm2
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Thermal Analysis
• Maximum junction device temperature Tj < 175ºC
• High reliability applications < 120ºC
• Divide power stage device into small cells to spread the heat
• Take into account solder and package heat resistance when calculating Tj
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On-Wafer Calibration Patterns FET for on-wafer characterization
Packaged MMIC TF
MMIC RF Testing
• S-parameters, power, IMD …etc
• On-wafer vs Test Fixture testing
• Calibration methods
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RF Measurement Equipment
On-Wafer Probe Station
Vector Network Analyzer
Automated Power Test Bench
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Power MMIC Survey
0
10
20
30
40
50
0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00Frequency (GHz)
Pow
er (d
Bm
)
GaAs FETGaNInPSiCGaAs HBTLDMOS
Pf2 = Constant Law
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LNA MMIC Survey
0
2
4
6
8
10
0.00 50.00 100.00 150.00 200.00Frequency (GHz)
NF
(dB
)
ABCSGaAsGaNInPSiGe & CMOS
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HIFET Voltage Waveforms
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Vin
3Vm
Vd = 4Vm
2Vm
Vm
C1
C2
C3
R2
R1
R1
R1
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
-1 .5
-1
-0 .5
0
0 .5
1
1 .5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Zopt
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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4W 0.03 to 3GHz HiFET MMICBias 20V, 150mA, 400mA
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 1 2 3 4 5Frequency (GHz)
Ret
urn
Loss
(dB
)
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
Gai
n (d
B)Gain
S11
S22
Bias @ 20V/550mA
15
20
25
30
35
40
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3Frequency (GHz)
P1d
B (d
Bm
)
0
10
20
30
40
50
Effi
cien
cy (%
)
P1dB
EfficiencyMMIC Photo Die Size 2.2x1.8mm
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Power CMOS HiFET at 1GHz
640µm 4 in-Series HiFET at 1GHz & Bias 8V / 202mA
5
10
15
20
25
30
-15 -10 -5 0 5Pin (dBm)
Gai
n (d
B) &
Pou
t (dB
m)
0
10
20
30
40
50
Effic
ienc
y (%
)
Pout(dBm)GAIN(dB)EFF
Ropt= 40 Ω(2.5 Ω for 2560µm device)
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MMICs for Wireless Applications
PAT/R SW
LNA IF AmpMixer
Modulator
MMIC PA for 802.11bRF Front End for ETC Applications
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C-Band T/R Module for Phase Array
TX
RX
To BB
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2 – 25GHz Millimeter-wave PA
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DC – 40GHz SPDT Switch
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44GHz 4-bit Phase Shifter MMIC
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Conclusion and Future Trends
• GaAs MMICs dominate power, low noise and passive applications at microwave and will continue to do so in the near future
• Improvements in power levels & efficiency will continue to happen for pHEMT and HBT GaAs MMIC
• BiCMOS & SiGe MMIC is maturing for SOC and RF front end applications
• GaN MMIC are expected to mature in few years and may fulfill the need for 10W to 100W power levels up to mm-waves.
• SiC and LDMOS Silicon MMIC will continue to serve applications for >10W below 5GHz
• High power mm-wave MMICs will necessitate flip-chip designs• 3-D MMICs will mature for mm-waves and higher level of integration in
Silicon.