Electroluminescence spectroscopy for reliability investigations of 1.55 μm bulk semiconductor optical amplifier

This paper demonstrates the complementary relation between functional parameters and electroluminescence spectroscopy for reliability investigations of 1550 nm Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers of 700 μm length active region. Ageing tests have been set to 270 mA-100 °C-1500 h and realized on two different wafers showing more impact on wafer 1 than on wafer 2. Our investigations are particularly focused on interpretation of electroluminescence spectra, from reference and aged SOAs of wafer 1, leading to an improvement of degradation mechanisms understanding. The shift rate to lower energies of the recombination energy peak at 1550 nm, as reported by electroluminescence spectra between reference and aged SOAs in relation with the decrease of optical power measured at 200 mA for the degraded SOA and completed by I(V) characterizations, suggest occurrence of non radiative deep centers near the buried ridge structure in relation with the cleaning process uniformity of interfaces before epitaxial overgrowth. These defects mainly trap majority injected carriers instead of minority carriers reducing the luminescence in the active zone. By monitoring the most sensitive failure indicator (pseudo-threshold current), lifetime distributions are also calculated to determine failure rate, between 150 and 200 FITs over 15 years for operating conditions (25 °C-200 mA) using experimental degradation laws and statistic computations, demonstrating the overall robustness of this technology.     

Complex permittivity characterization of benzocyclobutene for terahertz applications

High-quality polymers such as the benzocyclobutene polymer (BCB) provide interesting dielectric feature for terahertz applications. Already used in silicon integrated circuit technologies, this material could become one of the most promising candidates for the realization of future THz waveguides and interconnections on a silicon substrate but also after active devices process on the top of any other technology (GaAs, InP, GaN…). A frequency-dependent complex permittivity of spin-coated thick layers of this low-k dielectric is obtained from transmittance spectra measured with Fourier transform spectroscopy in the frequency range of 0.5-5.4 THz. The dielectric constant and the loss tangent are discussed according to curing conditions of the photosensitive resin used. A low loss tangent value of 7 − 9 × 10^-3 at 1 THz is obtained with polymerisation in oxygen-free atmosphere. An incomplete curing and a high dose UV exposure have a weak impact on losses. These results associated with the high compatibility of this polymer with silicon and metals make BCB layers well suited for the design of microelectronic THz devices and circuits.     

230-GHz self-aligned SiGeC HBT for optical and millimeter-wave applications

This paper describes a 230-GHz self-aligned SiGeC heterojunction bipolar transistor developed for a 90-nm BiCMOS technology. The technical choices such as the selective epitaxial growth of the base and the use of an arsenic-doped monocrystalline emitter are presented and discussed with respect to BiCMOS performance objectives and integration constraints. DC and high-frequency device performances at room and cryogenic temperatures are given. HICUM model agreement with the measurements is also discussed. Finally, building blocks with state-of-the-art performances for a CMOS compatible technology are presented: A ring oscillator with a minimum stage delay of 4.4 ps and a 40-GHz low-noise amplifier with a noise figure of 3.9 dB and an associated gain of 9.2 dB were fabricated.     

SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor issues towards high cryogenic performances

The performances increase at low temperature make the SiGe HBT a masterpiece for cryogenic circuits. The time-progressive enhancement of f_T and f_MAX toward the THz frequency at room and at cryogenic temperatures is presented along with STMicroelectronics and IBM successive HBTs generations. The influence of the Ge content and graduality into the base is discussed, highlighting the keys for best high-frequency cryogenic operation. This is shown with eight different cases and addressed on f_T, f_MAX, the transit time, the minimum noise figure and the equivalent noise resistance.     

Room-Temperature AlGaN/GaN Terahertz Plasmonic Detectors with a Zero-Bias Grating

In this paper, we present sensitivity measurement as well as measured and calculated absorption spectra for AlGaN/GaN THz plasmonic detector made of a metallic grating in-between two ohmic contacts. Detectors with different grating patterns have been fabricated and their sensitivity, reaching 1.9 μA/W at 77 K and 0.7 μA/W at 300 K, measured with a voltage applied between the ohmic contacts. It is the first time that such a detector shows THz detection with no voltage applied on the grating, namely with a bidimensional electron gas (2DEG) having a homogeneous electron density. These results are consistent with detection by drag-effect rectification. Measurements held between 0.648 and 0.690 THz show that the dependence of the sensitivity on the frequency follows the absorption spectrum, indicating that absorption is a crucial step in the detection process. Further simulations of absorption spectra show the tunability offered by such detector and allow us to predict frequency behavior for grating-biased detectors as well, in which the rectification is mainly governed by ratchet effect.     

SiGe:C HBT transit time analysis based on hydrodynamic modeling using doping, composition and strained dependent SiGe:C carriers mobility and relaxation time

A global additional uniaxial stress ranging from −1 GPa to 1 GPa along different directions has been applied to SiGe HBTs in order to improve the high-frequency performance of these devices. Two transistors have been investigated: a slow one (peak f_T = 110 GHz) and a fast one (peak f_T = 750 GHz). The results from full-band Monte Carlo simulations show that the cutoff frequency of both devices can be improved by more than 30 percent under suitable stress conditions. A spherical-harmonics-expansion simulator is also used to investigate the spatial origin of this improvement, where it is found that the transit times are reduced in all regions (base, collector, emitter).     

500 GHz cutoff frequency SiGe HBTs

A current gain cutoff frequency f_T of 508 GHz is reported for a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) operating at 40 K. This 63% increase over the 311 GHz value measured at room temperature results from the overall decrease of the transit and charging times. Two HBTs are compared to highlight the importance of the topology of the HBT to reach maximum performances.