• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.751-754
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• 2003

Metamorphic HEMTs (MHEMTs) have emerged as excellent challenges for the design and fabrication of high-speed HEMTs for millimeter-wave applications. Some of improvements result from improved mobility and larger conduction band discontinuity in the channel, leading to more efficient modulation doping, better confinement, and better device performance compared with pseudomorphic HEMTs. We have studied the calibration on the DC and RF characteristics of the MHEMT device using I $n_{0.53}$G $a_{0.47}$As/I $n_{0.52}$A1$_{0.48}$As modulation-doped heterostructure on the GaAs wafer. For the optimized device performance simulation, we calibrated the device performance of 0.1-${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ $\Gamma$-gate MHEMT fabricated in our research center using the 2D ISE-DESSIS device simulator. With this calibrated parameter set, we have obtained very good reproducibility. The device simulation on the DC and RF characteristics exhibits good reproducibility for our 0.1-${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ -gate MHEMT device compared with the measurements. We expect that our calibration result can help design over-100-GHz MHEMT devices for better device performance.ormance.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2005

A monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) chip set consisting of a power amplifier, a driver amplifier, and a frequency doubler has been developed for automotive radar systems at 77 GHz. The chip set was fabricated using a 0.15 ${\mu}$ gate-length InGaAs/InAlAs/GaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistor (mHEMT) process based on a 4-inch substrate. The power amplifier demonstrated a measured small signal gain of over 20 dB from 76 to 77 GHz with 15.5 dBm output power. The chip size is 2mm${\times}$ 2mm. The driver amplifier exhibited a gain of 23 dB over a 76 to 77 GHz band with an output power of 13 dBm. The chip size is 2.1mm${\times}$ 2mm. The frequency doubler achieved an output power of -6 dBm at 76.5 GHz with a conversion gain of -16 dB for an input power of 10 dBm and a 38.25 GHz input frequency. The chip size is 1.2mm ${\times}$ 1.2mm. This MMIC chip set is suitable for the 77 GHz automotive radar systems and related applications in a W-band.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.23-27
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• 2013

This paper is for enhancing the breakdown voltage of MHEMTs with an InP-etchstop layer. Gate-recess structures has been simulated and analyzed for the breakdown of the devices with the InP-etchstop layer. The fully removed recess structure in the drain side of MHEMT shows that the breakdown voltage enhances from 2V to almost 4V and that the saturation current at gate voltage of 0V is reduced from 90mA to 60mA at drain voltage of 2V. This is because the electron-captured negatively fixed charges at the drain-side interface between the InAlAs barrier layer and the $Si_3N_4$ passivation layer deplete the InGaAs channel layer more and thus decreases the electron current passing the channel layer. In the paper, the fully-recessed asymmetric gate-recess structure at the drain side shows the on-breakdown voltage enhancement from 2V to 4V in the MHEMTs.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.685-690
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• 2005

DC and RF characteristics of $0.15{\mu}m$ GaAs power metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (MHEMT) have been investigated. The $0.15{\mu}m{\times}100{\mu}m$ MHEMT device shows a drain saturation current of 480 mA/mm, an extrinsic transconductance of 830 mS/mm, and a threshold voltage of -0.65 V. Uniformities of the threshold voltage and the maximum extrinsic transconductance across a 4-inch wafer were 8.3% and 5.1%, respectively. The obtained cut-off frequency and maximum frequency of oscillation are 141 GHz and 243 GHz, respectively. The $8{\times}50{\mu}m$ MHEMT device shows 33.2% power-added efficiency, an 18.1 dB power gain, and a 28.2 mW output power. A very low minimum noise figure of 0.79 dB and an associated gain of 10.56 dB at 26 GHz are obtained for the power MHEMT with an indium content of 53% in the InGaAs channel. This excellent noise characteristic is attributed to the drastic reduction of gate resistance by the T-shaped gate with a wide head and improved device performance. This power MHEMT technology can be used toward 77 GHz band applications.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2020

In this study, we fabricated a metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (mHEMT) device with a T-type gate structure for the implementation of W-band monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) and investigated its characteristics. To fabricate the mHEMT device, a recess process for etching of its Schottky layer was applied before gate metal deposition, and an e-beam lithography using a triple photoresist film for the T-gate structure was employed. We measured DC and RF characteristics of the fabricated device to verify the characteristics that can be used in W-band MMIC design. The mHEMT device exhibited DC characteristics such as a drain current density of 747 mA/mm, maximum transconductance of 1.354 S/mm, and pinch-off voltage of -0.42 V. Concerning the frequency characteristics, the device showed a cutoff frequency of 215 GHz and maximum oscillation frequency of 260 GHz, which provide sufficient performance for W-band MMIC design and fabrication. In addition, active and passive modeling was performed and its accuracy was evaluated by comparing the measured results. The developed mHEMT and device models could be used for the fabrication of W-band MMICs.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2013

We examined the scaling effects of a number of gate_fingers (N) and gate_widths (w) on the high-frequency characteristics of $0.1-{\mu}m$ metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistors. Functional relationships of the extracted small-signal parameters with total gate widths ($w_t$) of different N were proposed. The cut-off frequency ($f_T$) showed an almost independent relationship with $w_t$; however, the maximum frequency of oscillation ($f_{max}$) exhibited a strong functional relationship of gate-resistance ($R_g$) influenced by both N and $w_t$. A greater $w_t$ produced a higher $f_{max}$; but, to maximize $f_{max}$ at a given $w_t$, to increase N was more efficient than to increase the single gate_width.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.105-111
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• 2004

In this paper, millimeter-wave high gain and broadband MHEMT cascode amplifiers were designed and fabricated. The 0.1 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ InGaAs/InAlAs/GaAs Metamorphic HEMT was fabricated for cascode amplifiers. The DC characteristics of MHEMT are 640 mA/mm of drain current density, 653 mS/mm of maximum transconductance. The current gain cut-off frequency(f$_{T}$) is 173 GHz and the maximum oscillation frequency(f$_{max}$) is 271 GHz. By using the CPW transmission line, the cascode amplifier was designed the matched circuit for getting the broadband characteristics. The designed amplifier was fabricated by the MHEMT MIMIC process that was developed through this research. As the results of measurement, the 1 stage amplifier obtained 3 dB bandwidth of 37 GHz between 31.3 to 68.3 GHz. Also, this amplifier represents the S21 gain with the average 9.7 dB gain in bandwidth and the maximum gain of 11.3 dB at 40 GHz. The 2 stage amplifier has the broadband characteristics with 3 dB bandwidth of 29.5 GHz in the frequency range from 32.5 to 62.0 GHz. The 2 stage cascode amplifier represents the high gain characteristics with the average gain of 20.4 dB in bandwidth and the maximum gain of 22.3 dB at 36.5 GHz.z.z.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.637-641
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• 2006

We present the DC and RF characteristics of 100 nm gate length InGaAs/InAlAs/GaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistors (MHEMTs). We fabricated the T-gate with 100 nm foot print by using a positive resist ZEP520/P (MMA-MAA)/PMMA trilayer by double exposure method. The fabricated 100 nm MHEMT with a $70\;{\mu}m$ unit gate width and two fingers were characterized through do and rf measurements. The maximum drain current density of 465 mA/mm and extrinsic transconductance $(g_m)$ of 844 mS/mm were obtained with our devices. From rf measurements, we obtained the current gain cut-off frequency $(f_T)$ of 192 GHz, and maximum oscillation frequency $(f_{max})$ 310 GHz.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.549-561
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• 2020

We developed a 0.1-㎛ metamorphic high electron mobility transistor and fabricated a W-band monolithic microwave integrated circuit chipset with our in-house technology to verify the performance and usability of the developed technology. The DC characteristics were a drain current density of 747 mA/mm and a maximum transconductance of 1.354 S/mm; the RF characteristics were a cutoff frequency of 210 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency of 252 GHz. A frequency multiplier was developed to increase the frequency of the input signal. The fabricated multiplier showed high output values (more than 0 dBm) in the 94 GHz-108 GHz band and achieved excellent spurious suppression. A low-noise amplifier (LNA) with a four-stage single-ended architecture using a common-source stage was also developed. This LNA achieved a gain of 20 dB in a band between 83 GHz and 110 GHz and a noise figure lower than 3.8 dB with a frequency of 94 GHz. A W-band image-rejection mixer (IRM) with an external off-chip coupler was also designed. The IRM provided a conversion gain of 13 dB-17 dB for RF frequencies of 80 GHz-110 GHz and image-rejection ratios of 17 dB-19 dB for RF frequencies of 93 GHz-100 GHz.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
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• v.42 no.5 s.335
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• pp.61-68
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• 2005

In this paper, low conversion loss 94 GHz MIMIC resistive mixer was designed and fabricated. The $0.1{\mu}m$ InGaAs/InAlAs/GaAs Metamorphic HEMT, which is applicable to MIMIC's, was fabricated. The DC characteristics of MHEMT are 665 mA/mm of drain current density, 691 mS/mm of maximum transconductance. The current gain cut-off frequency(fT) is 189 GHz and the maximum oscillation frequency(fmax) is 334 GHz. A 94 GHz resistive mixer was fabricated using $0.1{\mu}m$ MHEMT MIMIC process. From the measurement, the conversion loss of the 94 GHz resistive mixer was 8.2 dB at an LO power of 10 dBm. P1 dB(1 dB compression point) of input and output were 9 dBm and 0 dBm, respectively. LO-RF isolations of resistive mixer was obtained 15.6 dB at 94.03 GHz. We obtained in this study a lower conversion loss compared to some other resistive mixers in W-band frequencies.