| The work described in this thesis is to develop a complete SiGe MMIC process. This includes a reliable, high yield and easy to process SiGe MMIC fabrication technology, with integrated passive models to allow for accurate circuit design. Heterostructure design and transistor geometry design are utilized to demonstrate power SiGe HBTs and MMIC amplifiers.; With the development of the three novel self-aligned SiGe HBT/MMIC processes, I have demonstrated an optimization approach to obtain reliable, high yield and easy to process MMIC circuits. The different processes are also compared in terms of performance and cost. HBT-PT1 is optimized to achieve simple photomask alignment, with the least stringent processing requirements. The other process namely HBT-PT2 is the best general purpose process since there are no limitations in terms of metal thicknesses. This process is also less costly as the number of masks and therefore fabrication steps are minimized. The last process known as HBT-PT3 is the process of choice for the best performing HBTs with reduced parasitics from the contact pads.; Integrated passive components such as inductors and capacitors fabricated in the MMIC process are of interest and their compact modeling have been studied in this thesis. By introduction of novel inductor and capacitor structures to achieve high quality factor, Q, it is imperative to develop a general design methodology to model such components as it is rather difficult to develop general design equations for them. These design equation if available are generally not very accurate. The alternatives to these design equations are electromagnetic simulations or experimental S parameter measurements which are useful for the initial design/foundry setup stage. However, with the maturity of the process, designers would require compact circuit models that enhance designer's intuition and allow for design flexibility. Compact models will also simplify transient analysis and allow embedding of the parasitics into the matching network design.; The two compact models for the capacitor and inductor that have been developed in this thesis are based on fundamental transmission lines, are scalable from narrowband to wideband and are the first compact models, to the authors' knowledge, that systematically fit the frequency response beyond the first resonance. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
