Extremely low-noise performance of GaAs MESFETs with wide-headT-shaped gate

Fully ion-implanted low-noise GaAs MESFETs with a 0.11-μm Au/WSiN T-shaped gate have been successfully developed for applications in monolithic microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits (MMICs). In order to reduce the gate resistance, a wide Au gate head made of a first-level interconnect is employed. As the wide gate head results in parasitic capacitance, the relation between the gate head length (L_h) and the device performance is examined. The gate resistance is also precisely calculated using the cold FET technique and Mahon and Anhold's method. A current gain cutoff frequency (f_T) and a maximum stable gain (MSG) decrease monotonously as L_h increases on account of parasitic capacitance. However, the device with L_h of 1.0 μm, which has lower gate resistance than 1.0 Ω, exhibits a noise figure of 0.78 dB with an associated gain of 8.7 dB at an operating frequency of 26 GHz. The measured noise figure is comparable to that of GaAs-based HEMT's