Collaborative Research: High-frequency, High-power Amplifier Based on Distributed Coupling of GaN HEMTs Through a SiC Substrate-integrated Waveguide

合作研究：基于 SiC 衬底集成波导的 GaN HEMT 分布式耦合的高频、高功率放大器

• 批准号: 2132323
• 负责人: James Hwang
• 金额: $ 32.5万
• 依托单位: Cornell University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2025-02-28
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2132323&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; frequency; power; Amplifier

AbstractNontechnicalHigh-frequency, high-power sources are critical to exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum. The project may enable the next generation of millimeter-wave electronics with unprecedented bandwidth and power, while minimizing their size, weight, power consumption, cost, and failure rate. The methodologies developed to design, integrate, and fabricate high-power sources above 110 GHz, and to characterize these devices in terms of electromagnetic coupling, millimeter-wave performance, and thermal metrology can be used in the future to further improve the bandwidth and power of monolithically integrated power amplifiers to cover not only the entire millimeter-wave frequency range, but also terahertz frequencies that are not widely exploited. The substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) platform may enable other electronic components such as high-quality filters and antennas to be monolithically integrated on a single chip, which has been difficult with conventional integrated circuits. The project directly impacts Future of Work by facilitating ubiquitous wireless communications, smart man-machine interfaces, and Internet of Things (IoT). It is estimated that wireless communications currently cover approximately 60% of the Earth surface, making Internet accessible to only about half of the world's population. 6G wireless communications enabled by millimeter-wave sources that are small, light, powerful, low cost, and reliable can extend the coverage to 100% of the Earth surface, making Internet accessible to everyone.TechnicalBased on an ultra-low-loss SiC SIW, a novel traveling-wave amplifier (TWA) is used to combine high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) in a distributed manner for overcoming the power combining and impedance matching challenges of conventional monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuits. Distributed and synchronous coupling between a quasi-transverse-electromagnetic wave on a grounded coplanar waveguide and a transverse-electric wave on an SIW is new, as is monolithic integration of SIW with transistors. This approach takes advantage of high-quality GaN grown epitaxially on SiC to achieve high-frequency, high-power performance through monolithic integration. This monolithic integration allows unprecedented precision and field strength in a distributed geometry, which is impossible to realize with conventional split-block machined parts or hybrid integration on a printed circuit board. This provides a path to high-frequency circuits with power and efficiency performance that is not otherwise attainable. As a proof-of-concept test vehicle, TWAs capable of 1-W output power at the D band (110-170 GHz) are designed, fabricated, and characterized. If successful, similar approaches can be used to generate higher powers at higher frequencies, or be implemented in other semiconductor technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

摘要非技术高频、高功率源对于开发电磁频谱至关重要。该项目可能使下一代毫米波电子产品具有前所未有的带宽和功率，同时最大限度地减少其尺寸、重量、功耗、成本和故障率。为设计、集成和制造 110 GHz 以上的高功率源而开发的方法，以及在电磁耦合、毫米波性能和热计量方面表征这些设备的方法，将来可用于进一步提高带宽和功率单片集成功率放大器不仅可以覆盖整个毫米波频率范围，还可以覆盖尚未广泛利用的太赫兹频率。基板集成波导（SIW）平台可以使其他电子元件（例如高质量滤波器和天线）能够单片集成在单个芯片上，这对于传统集成电路来说是困难的。该项目通过促进无处不在的无线通信、智能人机界面和物联网 (IoT) 直接影响未来的工作。据估计，无线通信目前覆盖了地球表面约 60% 的面积，使得世界上只有约一半的人口可以访问互联网。毫米波源实现的6G无线通信，体积小、重量轻、功率大、成本低、可靠，可以将覆盖范围扩大到地球表面100%，让所有人都能访问互联网。技术基于超低损耗SiC SIW ，一种新型行波放大器（TWA）用于以分布式方式组合高电子迁移率晶体管（HEMT），以克服传统单片毫米波集成电路的功率组合和阻抗匹配挑战。接地共面波导上的准横向电磁波与 SIW 上的横向电波之间的分布式同步耦合是新的，SIW 与晶体管的单片集成也是如此。这种方法利用在 SiC 上外延生长的高质量 GaN，通过单片集成实现高频、高功率性能。这种单片集成在分布式几何结构中实现了前所未有的精度和场强，这是使用传统的分块加工零件或印刷电路板上的混合集成不可能实现的。这为高频电路提供了一条途径，该电路具有其他方式无法实现的功率和效率性能。作为概念验证测试工具，我们设计、制造并表征了能够在 D 频段 (110-170 GHz) 输出功率 1 W 的 TWA。如果成功，类似的方法可用于在更高频率下产生更高功率，或在其他半导体技术中实施。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Validity of room-temperature calibration for on-wafer measurements up to 220 GHz, 125 °C, and 48 h

晶圆上测量的室温校准有效性，最高可达 220 GHz、125 °C 和 48 小时

• 发表时间: 2023-06
• 期刊: Jun. 2023
• 作者: Li, T.;L. Li;J. C. M. Hwang
• 通讯作者: J. C. M. Hwang

Extraordinary Permittivity Characterization Using 4H-SiC Substrate-Integrated-Waveguide Resonators

使用 4H-SiC 衬底集成波导谐振器进行出色的介电常数表征

• DOI: 10.1109/arftg56062.2023.10148877
• 发表时间: 2023-01
• 期刊: 2023 100th ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference (ARFTG
• 作者: Li, Lei;Reyes, Steve;Asadi, Mohammad Javad;Wang, Xiaopeng;Fabi, Gianluca;Ozdemir, Erdem;Wu, Weifeng;Fay, Patrick;Hwang, James C.
• 通讯作者: Hwang, James C.

A compact F-band filter based on SiC substrate-integrated waveguides

基于 SiC 衬底集成波导的紧凑型 F 带滤波器

• 发表时间: 2023-12
• 期刊: Dec. 2023
• 作者: Wang, X.;Asadi, M. J.;Li, L.;Li, T.;Hwang, J. C.;Thome, F.;Brueckner, P.;Schwantuschke, D.
• 通讯作者: Schwantuschke, D.

Single-sweep vs. banded characterizations of a D-band ultra-low-loss SiC substrate integrated waveguide

D 波段超低损耗 SiC 衬底集成波导的单次扫描与带状表征

• 发表时间: 2022-06
• 期刊: USA
• 作者: Li, L.;Reyes, S.;Asadi, M. J.;Jena, D.;Xing, H. G.;Fay, P.;Hwang, J. C.
• 通讯作者: Hwang, J. C.

A D-band frequency-doubling distributed amplifier thorugh monolithic integration of SiC SIW and GaN HEMTs

通过 SiC SIW 和 GaN HEMT 单片集成的 D 频段倍频分布式放大器

• 发表时间: 2023-12
• 期刊: Dec. 2023
• 作者: Li, L.;Li, T.;Fay, P.;Hwang, J. C.
• 通讯作者: Hwang, J. C.