Indium phosphide-based materials and heterostructure devices, and their applications in monolithic integrated NPN and PNP HBT circuits

InP-based materials were grown by MOCVD. Carbon was used as p-type dopant for InGaAs. Growth conditions and material characteristics were studied. These layers were then used to grow InP-based Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs). Device results were verified through material characterization techniques such as carrier lifetime measurements.; InP-based HBTs were then fabricated using a in-house developed processing technology which highlights a self-aligned base and a lateral-undercut-collector technique. First, HBTs employing InP material as emitter layers have been studied. State-of-art performance has been demonstrated using both zinc and carbon as base dopants for InP/InGaAs HBTs.; HBTs employing InAlAs material as emitter layers were then studied. Low-doped and thicker collector design features have been used to improve the power performance of Single Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (SHBTs). High breakdown voltage as well as excellent power characteristics, including a record performance in terms of output power density has been obtained for these devices.; Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuits (MMICs) were then designed, fabricated and measured using the developed InP-based NPN HBTs technology. A wide bandwidth amplifier at low DC power consumption has been demonstrated. A “tree” topology design for X-band power amplifiers has been realized and the performance of such amplifiers was measured and compared with that of conventional power amplifiers. Moreover, low-phase noise oscillators were demonstrated at Ka-band.; InP-based complementary HBT technology was developed. A selective MBE regrowth approach has been employed to achieve the planarized NPN and PNP HBT structure. A merged processing technique was developed to monolithically integrate these two types of devices on the same chip. Fabricated complementary (NPN+PNP) devices demonstrated state-of-art performance, compared with that of discrete HBTs.; The developed complementary technology was applied to demonstrate Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuits (MMICs). Various types of push-pull amplifiers have been designed, fabricated and characterized. Improved power performance as well as linearity and efficiency have been observed. HBT amplifiers with PNP HBT active loads were realized. High voltage gain with low power supply voltage operation has been observed. These circuits demonstrate great potential for the developed complementary HBT technology in high-linearity, low power and high efficiency applications.