A 50-MHz-55-GHz multidecade InP-based HBT distributed amplifier

Abstract

This letter reports on a 50-MHz-55-GHz multidecade bandwidth InP-based heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) MMIC distributed amplifier (DA) which achieves the widest bandwidth and highest frequency of operation so far demonstrated for a bipolar amplifier. The HBT MMIC DA was fabricated using a high-speed 1-m InAlAs/InGaAs-InP HBT base-undercut technology with peak fT 's and fmax's of 80 and 200 GHz, respectively, in order to obtain broad-band gain. Key to this work is the successful employment of HBT active load terminations used on both the input and output DA transmission lines in order to extend the low-frequency gain performance down to baseband. With only 82 mW of dc power consumption, the amplifier obtains measured gains of 7.6 dB at 50 MHz, 5.7 dB at 30 GHz, 5.8 dB at 50 GHz, and 3.1 dB at 55 GHz. Simulations of a monolithically integrated InGaAs p-i-n photodetector predicts a baseband 47-GHz photoreceiver response with an effective transimpedance of 38-dB. The baseband millimeter-wave capability of the InP-based HBT DA and its compatibility with InGaAs photodetectors makes this technology attractive for future generation (>40 Gb/s) high-datarate light-wave applications.

A 23 GHz Baseband HBT Distributed Amplifier for Optical Communication Systems

“…For the design under consideration GBP = 81.6 GHz, fT = 60 GHz, making GBP/fT = 136. As a simple comparison, a current high performance HBT distributed amplifier reported by Kobayashi et al [6] employing InP based HBTs with fT-80 GHz achieves a gain of -6dB and a bandwidth of 55 GHz. This results in GBP = 109.7 GHz and GBP/fT = 1.37.…”

“…In effect, there is a trade-off between having dc bias stability and sufficient gain at low frequencies. The majority of the HBT based DAs reported in the open literature have been designed without bias stabilisation emitter resistors [5,6]. As a consequence, the performance of such amplifiers is prone to noticeable change in the presence of ambient temperature variations.…”

“…MESFET and HEMT based DAs have been widely demonstrated [2][3][4], but the use of HBTs in DAs is a relatively new approach [5][6][7]. HBTs are expected to offer linearity, 1/f noise and power handling advantages over their MESFET/HEMT based counterparts, in addition to requiring less stringent lithographic requirements [8].…”

Ultra-wide-band low noise amplifier using inductive feedback in 90-nm CMOS technology

“…The Distributed Amplifiers (DAs) using the artificial transmission lines exhibited impressively high gain-bandwidth products [4][5][6][7] at the price of power consumption and chip area. Moreover, the noise figure was usually degraded due to the adoption of lossy resistance.…”

Demonstration of aluminum-free metamorphic InP/In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As/InP double heterojunction bipolar transistors on GaAs substrates

“…I nP/InGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) lattice-matched (LM) to InP have shown the enhanced microwave performance compared to the commonly used GaAs-base HBTs, and are excellent candidates for high-speed and high frequency applications [1], [2]. However, the limited substrate size, high cost and brittle nature of the InP substrate could impose major constraints for large-volume and low-cost production.…”