High reliability of 0.1 μm InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HEMT MMICs on 3-inch InP production process

The high-reliability performance of K-band MMIC amplifiers fabricated using 0.1 mum T-gate InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HEMTs on 3-inch wafers using a high volume production process is reported. Operating at an accelerated life test condition of Vds=1.2 V and Ids=150 mA/mm, two-stage balanced amplifiers were lifetested at three-temperatures (T-1=215degreesC, T-2=230degreesC and T-3=250degreesC) in a N-2 ambient. The activation energy (Ea) is as high as 2 eV, achieving a projected median-time-to-failure (MTF) > 1x10(8) hours at a 125degreesC junction temperature. MTF was determined by 3-temperature constant current stress using \DeltaS21\ > 1.0 dB as the failure criteria. This is the first demonstration of 3-temperature high reliability 0.1 mum InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HEMT based on small-signal microwave characteristics of HEMT MMIC. This result demonstrates a robust InGaAs/InAlAs/InP HEMT production technology.