A 2/spl mu/m InGaP/GaAs HBT matrix amplifier with 15dB gain and 41GHz bandwidth

A broadband matrix amplifier occupying a chip area of 1.5/spl times/1.6 mm/sup 2/ implemented with commercially available 2/spl mu/m InGaP/GaAs HBT technology is demonstrated with a gain of 15dB and 41GHz 3-dB bandwidth, as well as a gain-bandwidth product of 231. At a biasing collector current density (J/sub c/) of 50 kA/cm/sup 2/, the 2 /spl mu/m InGaP/GaAs HBT has f/sub t/ and f/sub max/ of 55 and 62GHz respectively with MTTF of 2.8/spl times/10/sup 6/ hrs or approximately 320 years. Comparing to other published results using the figure of merits of gain-bandwidth product (GBP) per transistor f/sub t/ and f/sub max/, this amplifier is believed to be among the best in single chip distributed and matrix amplifiers implemented in any bipolar technologies.