InP DHBT based IC technology for over 80 Gbit/s data communications

In this paper, we report a manufacturable InP DHBT technology, suitable for medium scale mixed-signal and monolithic microwave integrated circuits. The InGaAs/InP DHBTs were grown by MBE and fabricated using conventional process techniques. Devices with an emitter junction area of 4.8 µm2 exhibited peak cutoff frequency (f(ind T)) and maximum oscillation frequency (f(ind MAX)) values of 265 and 305 GHz, respectively, and a breakdown voltage (BV(ind CEo)) of over 5 V. Using this technology, a set of mixed-signal IC building blocks for >= 80 Gbit/s fibre optical links, including distributed amplifiers (DA), voltage controlled oscillators (VCO), and multiplexers (MUX), have been successfully fabricated and operated at 80 Gbit/s and beyond.