Transistor and Circuit Design for 100–200-GHz ICs

Abstract—Compared to SiGe, InP HBTs offer superior electron transport properties but inferior scaling and parasitic reduction. Figures of merit for mixed-signal ICs are developed and HBT scaling laws introduced. Device and circuit results are summa-rized, including a simultaneous 450 GHz and 490 GHz max DHBT, 172-GHz amplifiers with 8.3-dBm output power and 4.5-dB associated power gain, and 150-GHz static frequency di-viders (a digital circuit figure-of-merit for a device technology). To compete with advanced 100-nm SiGe processes, InP HBTs must be similarly scaled and high process yields are imperative. De-scribed are several process modules in development: these include an emitter-base dielectric sidewall spacer for increased yield, a collector pedestal implant for reduced extrinsic cb, and emitter junction regrowth for reduced base and emitter resistances. Index Terms—InP heterojunction bipolar transistor, static frequency divider, millimeter-wave amplifier, dielectric side-wall-spacer, collector pedestal, emitter regrowth. I