Modelling DC characteristics of GaAs MESFETs in a wide range of temperatures

In this paper, a new semiempirical DC thermal model of low- and high-power GaAs MESFETs is proposed. The model takes into account the effect of device negative output conductance and simulates external thermal effects modelli ng the dependence on temperature of the device threshold voltage and the ma ximum saturation drain-source current. A number of GaAs MESFETs, very diffe rent from a geometrical and technological point of view, have been characte rized as a function of temperature and modelled by our model with high accu racy. The CPU extraction time results are moderate in any example. Results have been compared with the Rodriguez-Tellez model, showing improvements of accuracy better than 30 per cent. The model can be successfully used n MMI C CAD applications. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.