THz InP HEMT Technology for Sub- Millimeter Wave ... InP HEMT Technology for Sub-Millimeter Wave...

THz InP HEMT Technology for Sub-

Millimeter Wave Atmospheric Sensing

6-23-2015

Bill Deal

Motivation

2 Flake of Kosher Salt

• Over the last 10 years, DARPA investment has pushed MMIC technology to ~1,000 GHz

• This new capability will directly benefit NASA Earth Science Missions

Motivation

Scaling enables significantly enhanced performance

– 25 nm gatelength – fmax: 1.5 THz – fT: 0.61 THz

0.5umD S

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

10 100 1000

Tran

sistor g

ain (dB)

Frequency (GHz)

h21

MSG/MAG

fT=610GHz

fMAX=1.5THz

Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited. DISTAR 24582; NGAS Case 15-0931

Motivation

•  Amplifier Gain Demonstrated to 1 THz (1,000 GHz)

•  Enables new generation of instruments for new science missions

-‐50

-‐40

-‐30

-‐20

-‐10

0

10

20

800 900 1000 1100

S-‐Parameters [dB

]

[GHz]

TN8_0, THMT7A-‐4, 4546-‐004 ThinR5C5, Vd=1.10V, 43mA, Vg=0.165V

s11(dB)

s21(dB)

s22(dB)

>9 dB at 1.0 THz


Outline

•  Motivation

•  Outline

•  Advantages of transistor based receivers at Sub-Millimeter Wave frequencies

•  TMIC and “THz” InP HEMT Overview

•  Technology Status

•  Conclusion

5

Advantages of InP HEMT for Sub-Millimeter Wave Receivers

6

GaAs Schottky “THz” InP HBT “THz” InP HEMT

Sensitivity Good Poor Good Better if cooled!

DC Power Poor Good Good

Size/Integration Poor Good Good

Production Scalability

Moderate Good Good

Maturity High ~TRL4-TRL5 ~TRL4-TRL5

•  Last decade has seen significant innovations in semiconductor technology

•  SMMW Receivers can be implemented in GaAs Schottky, InP HBT and InP HEMT Technologies at temperatures close to room temperature

THz Monolithic Integrated Circuit (TMIC)

• Integration Challenges: • Need wide chip for circuit, but narrow for transition • Cross-shaped chip

• Passive TMIC Technology: • High compaction. • HEMT to HEMT spacing of 10 µm.

Coplanar Waveguide (CPW)Coplanar Waveguide (CPW)GNDSignal

InP

GND

• Transistor Technology: • 25 nm InP HEMT

230 µm

• 655 µm

375 µm

10 µm


InP HEMT Technology

•  Transistor speed improvements come from:

–  Gate scaling –  Channel design –  Device design

•  Significant benefits come from channel and device design

•  Device continues to scale nicely

•  Upward fMAX limit not yet reached.

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

0 20 40 60 80 100

Freq

uenc

y [G

Hz]

Transistor Gatelength [nm]

fT

fMAX

100, 70 nm

35, 30, 25 nm


TMIC Frontside and Backside Scaling

Frontside: • TMICs realized in Grounded CoPlanar Waveguide •  Gaps/Widths to 1.5 um •  TFR20 and TFR100 •  100 pF/mm MIM capacitors •  “Compacted” transistor layouts reduce parasitics

1.7um

Backside: •  18 um substrate thickness for 850 GHz circuits •  Small diameter substrate via with reduced pad •  RIE etch for substrate removal in areas of electromagnetic transition and partial singulation


LNA Overview

Center Frequency

Technology Minimum Demonstrated Noise Figure

183 GHz 35 nm IACC 4.2 dB

235 GHz 35 nm IACC 7.25 for receiver with window

180-280 30 nm IACC 5.5



670 GHz •  30 nm IACC •  25 nm IACC

•  11.7 dB •  11 dB (in development)

850 GHz 25 nm IACC •  11.5 dB

1030 GHz 20 nm IACC TBD

•  NGAS has developed low noise amplifiers operating to 850 GHz •  1.0 THz LNA in development •  Limited data with new baseline (25 nm) •  PA’s have also been developed, not described in this presentation


183 GHz LNA

•  Packaged Noise Figure Evaluation of 183 GHz LNA

•  35 nm process

•  Bias Conditions: 0.9 V, 27 mA

•  No results for 25 nm process (yet)

11

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220

NF

(dB

)

Frequency (GHz)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

160 165 170 175 180 185 190 195 200 205 210 215 220

NF

(dB

)

SN-02

SN-03


Packaged Results

•  15 dB peak gain at 835 GHz

•  13 dB gain at 850 GHz

-‐30

-‐25

-‐20

-‐15

-‐10

-‐5

0

5

10

15

20

700 750 800 850 900 950

S-‐Parameters [dB

]

Frequency [GHz]

s11(dB)s21(dB)s22(dB)


850 GHz Noise Figure

•  Measured noise figure 11-12 dB

•  Measured using hot/cold measurement setup

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

840 845 850 855 860

Noise Figure [dB]

Frequency [GHz]

Amp 1

Amp 2

Amp 3


Progress towards 1 THz

First demonstrated amplifier gain at 1 THz (1,000 GHz)

-‐50

-‐40

-‐30

-‐20

-‐10

0

10

20

800 900 1000 1100S-‐Parameters [dB

][GHz]

TN8_0, THMT7A-‐4, 4546-‐004 ThinR5C5, Vd=1.10V, 43mA, Vg=0.165V

s11(dB)

s21(dB)

s22(dB)

>9 dB at 1.0 THz


Receiver Overview

Center Frequency

Technology Comment Status

183 GHz 35 nm IACC LNA front-end, diplexed dual mixers for bandwidth coverage

In test

235 GHz 35 nm IACC ViSAR 21 Receivers delivered

670 GHz •  30 nm IACC •  25 nm IACC

•  First Demonstrated in 2010, Comm-Link •  New development changes frequency plan

and adds filtering

•  Completed •  Receiver update in

progress

850 GHz 25 nm IACC Comm-Link Demo Demonstrated at DARPA MTO Exhibit

650 GHz 25 nm IACC Dual-Channel Direct Detect, “TWICE” In Development

15

•  Northrop Grumman was first organization to build transistor based Sub-Millimeter Wave receivers

•  Initial receiver work has been for technology demonstration purposes •  Recent deliveries are to DoD contractors for field demonstrations •  New work is geared toward atmospheric sensing (TWICE and CAMLS)


Receiver Overview

16

183 GHz Receiver •  IR&D •  Noise figure and Associated gain measured •  1/f noise measurements pending

235 GHz Receiver •  ViSAR (DARPA STO) •  Airborne stand-off imaging demo •  Environmentally sealed •  21 delivered

Diplexer

X3

X3

Ch. 17-22

Ch. 17164-167GHz

82.75GHz

LO27.583GHz

IF (350 – 1500 MHz)

165.5GHzSub-harmonic mixer

LO30.552GHz

91.655GHz

183.31GHzSub-harmonic mixer

Ch. 18-22183.31GHz ± Δf

IF

F2

F3

F4

F5

M1

M2

A2

A3

MLT1

MLT2

D1A1

Block#1

Block#2

Block#3

IF

(8-1

2 GHz

)

MMIC IMA Waveguide

ViSAR Receiver Module

Down Convert

x3 x2

LO Multiplier

LNA IF RX

LO

(18.5

8 GHz

)

(231

– 23

5 GHz

) RF

LNA ATTN RF BPF


Receiver Overview

17

670 GHz Receiver (in development) •  First prototypes completed in 2010 •  Current Effort (THz Ph III) improves

performance

850 GHz Receiver (Completed) •  THz Electronics Phase III •  Data-link demonstration at DARPA MTO

Exhibit

MMIC

Module

Waveguide

Down Converter

LO Chain

LNA2 IF Amp

LNA1

RF BPF

x3

LO BPF

x2 x3

LPF

X9 LO Chain Low noise amplifiers

Down converting Sub-Harmonic

Mixer

02468

101214161820

835 840 845 850 855 860 865

NF (dB)

RF (GHz)


LO Chain Overview Overview

Center Frequency

Technology Topology

111 GHz 35 nm IACC X6 single-chip multiplier

340 GHz 25 nm IACC X18 chipset (three chips)

407 GHz 30 nm IACC X9 with output buffers

18

•  Amplifier based LO chains show superior DC efficiency for sub-millimeter wave power generation compared to diode based chains

•  May show improved reliability compared to diode based chains sub-millimeter wave LO chains due to lower millimeter wave mixer drive. May be useful for radio-astronomy


Multiplier Chain (x18)

54.3 GHz output X3 with buffer amplifier

18.1 GHz Coaxial input

163 GHz output X3 with buffer amplifier

Measured Results

326 GHz output X2 with buffer amplifier

WR2.8 WR6.5 WG

Block Diagram

30 mW 170 mW 245 mW

Packaged LO Chain


Noise and Power Trends

•  Plots include measured NF and power from NGAS 35, 30, and 25 nm processes

•  All data on packaged amplifiers at room temperature

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

0 200 400 600 800 1000

Noi

se T

empe

ratu

re [

K]

Frequency [GHz]

Noise Temp at MMIC

Noise Temp at Package

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

100 1000

Pow

er [

dBm

]

Frequency [GHz]

Power referenced to MMIC

Power referenced to package


•  “THz” MMIC technology will be a key enabler for new types of atmospheric science in the Sub-Millimeter Wave band

•  Significant technical challenges must be solved (process maturation)

• More details about applications can be seen in other talks:

–  Tuesday, 1:30, “Submillimeter-Wave Sounders with Cryogenic Amplifier Based Receiver Front-End”, Goutam Chattopadhyay

–  Tuesday, 2:10, “Update on the Compact Adaptable Microwave Limb Sounder (CAMLS)”, Nathaniel Livesey

–  Thursday, 9:30, “Tropospheric Water and Cloud ICE (TWICE) Instrument Development for CubeSat Deployment, Steve Reising

Conclusion

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