Advanced millimeter-wave ICs using metamorphic HEMT technology

Based on metamorphic InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs on 4" GaAs substrates, advanced integrated circuits for millimeter-wave applications were realized. An extrinsic transit frequency of 410 GHz for 50 nm gate length devices is achieved. The IC process features high yield on both transistor and circuit levels. Two-stage low-noise amplifiers demonstrate a small signal gain of 20 dB and a noise figure of 2.4 dB at 94 GHz. An amplifier MMIC developed for G-band operation exhibits a gain of 21 dB at 220 GHz. These results are very competitive to those achieved using state-of-the-art InP-based HEMT technologies