News: Microelectronics
23 June 2022
WIN releases second-generation 0.1µm GaAs pHEMT technology
WIN Semiconductors Corp of Taoyuan City, Taiwan – the world’s largest pure-play compound semiconductor wafer foundry – has released its latest-generation 0.1µm gallium arsenide (GaAs) pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT) technology, PP10-20. Building on the mature and production-proven PP10 platform, this second-generation technology provides a substantial increase in transistor gain and improves ƒT/ƒmax to 160GHz and 240GHz respectively. These improvements have been achieved while maintaining reliable 4V operation necessary for backhaul power amplifiers and high-linearity receivers operating from W-band though D-band.
Targeting applications above 100GHz, this multi-function GaAs pHEMT technology can be used for low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) and power amplifiers (PAs) as well as wide-bandwidth modulator drivers for high-data-rate fiber-optics. PP10-20 has two interconnect metal layers with air-bridge crossovers and includes monolithic PN junction diodes for compact on-chip ESD protection circuits. The technology is manufactured on 150mm-diameter GaAs substrates with a final wafer thickness of 50µm. A backside ground plane with through-wafer-vias (TWV) is standard for PP10-20, and TWVs can be configured as through-chip RF transitions to eliminate the adverse impact of bond wires at millimeter-wave frequencies.
“PP10-20 builds upon the mature PP10-10 platform used in many of today’s E-band power amplifiers deployed in wireless backhaul,” says senior VP David Danzilio. “WIN’s deep understanding of III-V junction engineering yielded a substantial improvement in transistor performance without the need to reduce gate length,” he adds. “This approach reduces overall technology risk and achieves increased transistor performance while maintaining the high production yields our customers expect.”
WIN showcased its compound semiconductor RF and mm-Wave solutions at the 2022 IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS) in Denver, CO, USA (21-23 June).
Altum RF uses WIN’s latest 0.1µm GaAs pHEMT technology for amplifiers covering Q-, V- and E-bands
WIN releases PIH1-10 GaAs platform
WIN releases platform integrating 0.1µm GaAs pHEMTs with monolithic PIN and vertical Schottky diodes
