Device and Technology Evolution for Si-Based RF Integrated Circuits

Published

July 1, 2005

Author(s)

Herbert S. Bennett, Ralf Brederlow, Julio Costa, Peter Cottrell, Margaret Huang, Anthony A. Immorlica, Jan-Erik Mueller, Marco Racanelli, Hisashi Shichijo, Charles E. Weitzel, Bin Zhao

Abstract

The relationships between device feature size and device performance figures of merit (FoMs) are more complex for RF applications than for digital applications. Using the devices in the key circuit blocks for typical RF transceivers, we review and give trends for the FoMs that characterize active and passive RF devices. These FoMs include transit frequency at unity current gain , maximum frequency of oscillation , noise, adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR), breakdown voltage, capacitor density, varactor and inductor quality, and the like. We use the specifications for wireless communications systems to show how different Si-based devices may achieve acceptable FoMs. We focus on Si CMOS, Si BiCMOS, and Si Bipolar (including SiGe HBT devices) RF devices and integrated circuits (ICs). We analyze trends in the FoMs for Si-based RF devices and ICs and show how these trends relate to the technology nodes of the 2003 International Technology Roadmap for semiconductors. We also compare FoMs for the best reported performance of research devices and for the performance of devices manufactured in high volumes, typically more that 10,000 devices.

Citation

IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices

Volume

52

Issue

7

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

bipolar transistors, field effect transistors, figures of merit, passive devices, silicon-based RF devices, transceivers

Citation

Bennett, H. , Brederlow, R. , Costa, J. , Cottrell, P. , Huang, M. , Immorlica, A. , Mueller, J. , Racanelli, M. , Shichijo, H. , Weitzel, C. and Zhao, B. (2005), Device and Technology Evolution for Si-Based RF Integrated Circuits, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices (Accessed December 16, 2024)