High performance, high yield InP DHBT production process for 40 Gbps applications

High-speed digital logic is essential in diverse applications such as optical communication, frequency synthesizers, and analog-digital conversion. Current research efforts indicate that technologies utilizing heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) are the preferred approach for systems operating at clock frequencies of 40 GHz and above. This need for higher performance electronics for space and defense applications has driven the development of InP HBTs at TRW. Consistent and continuous improvements from the baseline MBE structure and process technology have enhanced frequency performance, breakdown voltage, producibility, yield, and device reliability such that InP HBTs are being used successfully for many commercial, space, and defense applications (1, 2). This paper describes our optimized high-yield production InP DHBT process which simultaneously combines f(T) > 170 GHz, f(max) > 190 GHz, and breakdown voltage similar to 7 V.