High-efficiency silicon bipolar power transistors up to C-band

This paper presents the large-signal characterization and modeling of a 0.8 /spl mu/m 46 GHz-f/sub T/ silicon bipolar technology for RF power applications up to C-band. A set of devices with optimized layout and vertical structure was fabricated for on-wafer load-pull testing at 1.9 GHz, 2.4 GHz, and 5.2 GHz. Under continuous-wave operation, a 56% power-added efficiency and 11 dB large-signal gain were achieved at a 22 dBm output power level by an 80 /spl mu/m emitter length device (180 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ emitter area) operating at 5.2 GHz with a 2.7 V supply voltage.