RF perspective of sub-tenth-micron CMOS

Sub-tenth-micron CMOS has cut-off frequency reaching 150 GHz and gate delay around 15 ps at 1.5 V. The device speed suggests that CMOS has the potential for RF and microwave applications. Since these short-channel MOSFETs are designed mainly for digital applications, the fine-tuning in device design needed for analog applications is presented. For example, initial observation show relatively low f/sub max/. Whether this is inherent to sub-tenth-micron MOSFET merits investigation. Noise characteristics, device linearity, and power output capability also demand careful examination. This paper presents some device and circuit results using sub-tenth-micron CMOS, and discusses the directions for RFCMOS device design.