We have developed an InAlAs/InGaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistor device fabrication process where the gate length can be tuned within the range of 0.13 μm–0.16 μm to suit the intended application. The core processes are a two‐step electron‐beam lithography process using a three‐layer resist and gate recess etching process using citric acid. An electron‐beam lithography process was developed to fabricate a T‐shaped gate electrode with a fine gate foot and a relatively large gate head. This was realized through the use of three‐layered resist and two‐step electron beam exposure and development. Citric acid‐based gate recess etching is a wet etching, so it is very important to secure etching uniformity and process reproducibility. The device layout was designed by considering the electrochemical reaction involved in recess etching, and a reproducible gate recess etching process was developed by finding optimized etching conditions. Using the developed gate electrode process technology, we were able to successfully manufacture various monolithic microwave integrated circuits, including low noise amplifiers that can be used in the 28 GHz to 94 GHz frequency range.

We developed a 0.1‐μm 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.

A 100-nm gate-length metamorphic high electron mobility transistor(mHEMT) with a T-shaped gate was fabricated using a two-step gate recess and characterized for DC and microwave performance. The mHEMT device exhibited DC output characteristics having drain current(I dss), an extrinsic transconductance(g m) of 1,090 mS/mm and a threshold voltage(V th) of −0.65 V. The f T and f max obtained for the 100-nm mHEMT device were 190 and 260 GHz, respectively. The developed mHEMT will be applied in fabricating W-band monolithic microwave integrated circuits(MMICs).