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On the evaluation of the high-frequency load line in active devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 January 2011

Antonio Raffo ,
Gustavo Avolio ,
Dominique M.M.-P. Schreurs ,
Sergio Di Falco ,
Valeria Vadalà ,
Francesco Scappaviva ,
Giovanni Crupi ,
Bart Nauwelaers  and
Giorgio Vannini
Antonio Raffo*
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy.
Gustavo Avolio
Affiliation:
Electronic Engineering Department, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001Leuven, Belgium.
Dominique M.M.-P. Schreurs
Affiliation:
Electronic Engineering Department, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001Leuven, Belgium.
Sergio Di Falco
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy.
Valeria Vadalà
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy.
Francesco Scappaviva
Affiliation:
Microwave Electronics for Communications (MEC) Srl, 40123 Bologna, Italy.
Giovanni Crupi
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Fisica della Materia e Ingegneria Elettronica, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy.
Bart Nauwelaers
Affiliation:
Electronic Engineering Department, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, B-3001Leuven, Belgium.
Giorgio Vannini
Affiliation:
Department of Engineering, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44122 Ferrara, Italy.
*
Corresponding author: A. Raffo Email: antonio.raffo@unife.it
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Abstract

In this work a de-embedding technique oriented to the evaluation of the load line at the intrinsic resistive core of microwave FET devices is presented. The approach combines vector high-frequency nonlinear load-pull measurements with an accurate description of the reactive nonlinearities, thus allowing one to determine the actual load line of the drain–source current generator under realistic conditions. Thanks to the proposed approach, the dispersive behavior of the resistive core and the compatibility of the voltage and current waveforms with reliability requirements can be directly monitored. Different experiments carried out on a gallium nitride HEMT sample are reported.

Keywords

Integrated-circuit designMicrowave amplifiersSemiconductor device measurementsSemiconductor device modelingTime-domain measurements
Type
Research Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , February 2011 , pp. 19 - 24
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2011

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References

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