GaN-on-Si HEMTs: From Device Technology to Product Insertion
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GaN-on-Si HEMTs: From Device Technology to Product Insertion Wayne Johnson, Sameer Singhal, Allen Hanson, Robert Therrien, Apurva Chaudhari, Walter Nagy, Pradeep Rajagopal, Quinn Martin, Todd Nichols, Andrew Edwards, John Roberts, Edwin Piner, Isik Kizilyalli, and Kevin Linthicum Nitronex Corporation, 2305 Presidential Drive, Durham, NC, 27703 ABSTRACT In the last decade, GaN-on-Si has progressed from fundamental crystal growth studies to use as a platform technology for a line of reliable, commercially availability RF power transistors. This paper will briefly review progression of the GaN-on-Si material system and device processing, then present performance of the technology for commercial and military RF wireless applications. INTRODUCTION Future modulation schemes and air interfaces for mobile wireless communications require base stations with several watts of linear output power and instantaneous bandwidth up to 15% at frequency bands extending to ~6 GHz. Translated to the transistor level, this implies excellent linearity and thermal stability with simultaneous high power and high frequency capability. Additionally, advanced switchmode amplifier architectures require output stage power transistors with cutoff frequencies >20 GHz and high voltage capability to support drain modulation designs. Military communications (e.g., JTRS - Joint Tactical Radio System) and electronic warfare (e.g., broadband jammers) systems also present significant challenges due to requirements of high output power and bandwidth up to or exceeding one decade. In such units, highly efficient broadband power transistors can reduce component count and decrease weight and/or footprint. Appropriately designed GaN-on-Si HEMTs are excellent candidates to meet the performance targets in commercial and military insertion opportunities described above. The GaN material system has long been lauded for its high frequency and power handing capability. The HEMT structure provides excellent transconductance and linearity. GaN-on-Si offers GaN performance attributes in a cost-competitive platform. While the high-quality, low-cost, and large-diameter of Si substrates are well understood, other inherent advantages of GaN-on-Si include the ability to leverage established Si processes for wafer grinding & polishing, via-hole formation, and AuSi eutectic die attach. Through thermal design and advanced packaging, thermal management of GaNon-Si – sometimes cited as a limiting feature of the technology – can reach levels similar to GaN-on-SiC. High frequency operation has been demonstrated in both discrete and MMIC implementations. A family of packaged GaN-on-Si power transistors has been qualified and commercially released. These products operate at frequencies from DC to 6GHz and voltages up to 28V. Qualification of a product family operating to 48V is in
progress and will extend the power levels and bandwidth of the existing 28V products, enabling high power, extremely portable systems. Such devices will facilitate improved communications tr
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