MANUFACTURABILITY AND APPLICATIONS OF SIGE HBT TECHNOLOGY

This article reviews the status of IBM's SiGe HBT technology, with a f ocus on manufacturability issues and circuit applications. Device desi gn and process integration issues which have driven the development of the technology are discussed. Device results are shown, emphasizing t he demonstration of reproducibility and yield in the manufacturing env ironment. Reproducibility of parameters for the 47/65 GHz (f(T)/f(MAX) ) SiGe HBT is shown to be superior to that of BJTs in state-of-the-art implanted-base processes. Recent circuit results, covering the perfor mance range from 1 to 23 GHz, are reviewed. The addition of a polyimid e/gold backend process fbr low-loss inductors and transmission lines i s key to MMIC applications operating at 12 GHz and above. (C) 1997 Els evier Science Ltd.