Si/SiGe IC's with low cost in the 15 to 20 GHz range

Today silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor (SiGe HBT) technology is frequently used commercially in the S- and C-bands. It is convenient for low- and medium-power applications where considerable integration density and low power consumption are needed. The low cost and high maturity of the silicon process which the Si-SiGe HBT process is based on makes it an attractive choice for higher frequencies also. We demonstrate that with small changes of the standard process, IC operation up to 20 GHz is achievable. A low noise amplifier, a compact oscillator and a low power mixer are described in more detail.