Transfer of the AFRL 0.

14µm AlGaN/GaN-on-SiC MMIC

Process to MACOM’s Commercial Fab

G. Cueva1, E. Werner2, A. Green3, K. Liddy3, A. Islam3, N. Miller3, A. Crespo3, N. Sepelak2, D. Walker

Jr.3, G. Hughes3, R. Fitch3, K. Chabak3
1
MACOM, 100 Chelmsford Street, Lowell, MA, 01851
2
KBR, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433
3
Air Force Research Laboratory, Sensors Directorate, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH 45433
e-mail: gabriel.cueva@macom.com Phone: (978) 656-2767

Keywords: Gallium Nitride, Power Amplifier, X-band, Ka-band

Abstract electron-beam lithography tool at 50kV for other processes,

In this paper we report on the transfer of the AFRL MACOM developed a process that duplicates the AFRL gate
0.14µm AlGaN/GaN-on-SiC Monolithic Microwave dimensions and profile at 50kV. A SEM image of a FIB cross-
Integrated Circuit (MMIC) Process to MACOM’s Fab section of the MACOM T-gate is shown in Fig. 1.
and present a comparison of the initial performance of
both a 27-31GHz power amplifier with output power in
excess of 35dBm and a 2–20GHz wide-band power
amplifier, fabricated at both AFRL and MACOM.

INTRODUCTION

AFRL built an in-house 4-inch AlGaN/GaN-on-SiC

Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) research
prototyping capability based on two decades of GaN research
and development. AFRL reported Transmit and Receive
(T/R) and Power Amplifier (PA) results on a MMIC process
based on their non-field plate microwave AlGaN/GaN
0.14µm RF device process (GaN140) [1]-[2]. Here, AFRL
and MACOM show first pass success on GaN140 process
transfer in the design of Ka-band and a wide-band 2-20GHz
distributed amplifier.

PROCESS TRANSFER APPROACH

Device performance is determined primarily by the front-
end processes, ohmic contact and gate electrode formation
and device Si3N4 passivation, and these were copied directly
or adapted as closely as possible to the AFRL processes.
Adaptations to the flow at MACOM include the use of
both sputtered Ta alignment keys and implant isolation.
MACOM chose to use their existing evaporated NiCr thin-
film resistor and GaAs pHEMT 3-metal layer (0.95µm,
2.35µm and 3.15µm) back-end processes in order to preserve
in-fab process commonality and to aid in batching for
metallization.
The formation of the ohmic contact is a crucial step and a
SiC wafer with thermocouples was used to characterize both
the AFRL and MACOM RTA tools to ensure matching alloy
conditions.
AFRL defines their 0.14µm T-gate using electron-beam
lithography at 100kV. As MACOM currently uses their
Fig. 1. SEM image of a FIB cross-section of the
MACOM electron beam defined gate.
AFRL has shown that the conditions of the PECVD Si3N4
deposition process significantly affect the device breakdown
and dc-to-RF dispersion [3]. Si3N4 deposition conditions were
optimized to match stress and index of refraction to that of the
AFRL film.
INITIAL DEVICE TEST RESULTS
Completed 2x100µm devices were tested and the pulsed
IV results are shown in Fig. 2. Imax of 1290mA at Vds=6V
was measured at the Vgq=0V, Vdq=0V quiescent condition. At
the Vdq=25V, Idq=100mA/mm quiescent condition, 21.8%
gate and drain lag was observed.
Fig. 3 shows the results of pulsed RF power measurements
at 10GHz on completed 2x100µm devices. The devices

CS MANTECH Conference, May 9 -12, 2022 61

 Pulsed IV 2x100mm FET
(3ms 1% 0.5ms sample)
1400

1200
Drain Current (mA/mm)

1000

800

600

400 Vgq=0v Vdq=0v

200 Vdq=25v Idq=100mAmm

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Drain Voltage (Volts) Fig. 4. SEM micrograph of a 6-finger device in one of
Fig. 2. Pulsed IV response of a 2x100µm FET. At the stages of the 27-31GHz Ka-band power amplifier
Vds=6 V, an Imax of 1290mA (Vgq=0V, Vdq=0V) and fabricated at MACOM.
21.8% gate and drain lag (Vdq=25V, Idq=100mA/mm)
were observed. Power Performance Ka Band Product
Demonstrator (Vds=22v, Idsq=280mA)
40
0.14mm GaN on SiC 2x100mm FET 39
(Vds=25v Idsq=100mA/mm F=10GHz 100ms 10% 38
duty) 37
P6dB (dBm)

65 36
60
55 35
Drain Efficiency (%)

50 34
45 33
40
35 32
30 31
25
30
20
26.0 27.0 28.0 29.0 30.0 31.0 32.0 33.0
15 Frequency (GHz)
10
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 5.5 6.0 6.5 7.0
Fig. 5. 6dB compressed output power of 27-31GHz
Output Power (Watts/mm) amplifier fabricated at MACOM. Average input power
was 25.6dBm.
Fig. 3. Drain efficiency plotted as a function of output
power for a 2x100µm FET at 10GHz. 6 shows an optical image of a MACOM fabricated Ka-band
amplifier die and a comparison of the measured small signal
deliver a maximum of 6.1W/mm and demonstrate a maximum s- parameters to those of an AFRL fabricated amplifier of the
drain efficiency of 64% operating at the Vdq=25V, same design showing good matching of the small signal
Idq=100mA/mm quiescent condition. responses between the two.
Similarly, Fig. 7 shows an optical image of a MACOM
INITIAL PRODUCT DEMONSTRATOR RESULTS fabricated wide-band distributed 2-20GHz amplifier die and
a comparison of the measured small signal s- parameters to
A 3-stage 27-31GHz Ka-band power amplifier and a 2- those of an AFRL fabricated amplifier, showing good
20GHz power amplifier were designed using the AFRL matching of the small signal responses between the two.
Process Design Kit (PDK) and were fabricated on both the
MACOM and AFRL processes. CONCLUSIONS
An SEM micrograph of a 6-finger device in one of the
stages of the Ka-band power amplifier showing the 3-metal AFRL’s 0.14µm AlGaN/GaN MMIC Process has been
layers, including the air-bridges, is shown in Fig. 4. The transferred to MACOM’s Lowell, MA Fab. Initial circuit
power performance of the power amplifier producing over results show good matching of s-parameters between
35dBm of output power at a 6dB compressed condition is amplifier circuits fabricated at MACOM and at AFRL for
shown in Fig. 5. The average input power was 25.6 dBm. Fig.

62 CS MANTECH Conference, May 9 -12, 2022

 4127-3 Vds=22v Ids=280mA T=25°C 4127-7 Vds=28v Ids=500mA T=25°C
30 30 30 30
AFRL S21 (dB)
25 MACOM S21 (dB) 25 25 25
20 AFRL S11 (dB) 20 20 20
AFRL S21 (dB)
15 MACOM S11 (dB) 15 15 15
MACOM S21 (dB)
AFRL S22 (dB)

Return Loss (dB)

10 10 Return Loss (dB) 10 AFRL S11 (dB) 10
MACOM S22 (dB)
5 5 MACOM S11 (dB)
Gain (dB)

Gain (dB)
5 5
0 0 AFRL S22 (dB)
0 MACOM S22 (dB) 0
-5 -5 -5 -5
-10 -10 -10 -10
-15 -15
-15 -15
-20 -20
-20 -20
-25 -25
-25 -25
-30 -30
-30 -30
10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0 30.0 35.0 40.0
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0 20.0 25.0
Frequency (GHz) Frequency (GHz)
Fig. 6. (top) Die image and (bottom) comparison of Fig. 7. (top) Die image and (bottom) comparison of
small-signal s-parameters of 27-31GHz amplifiers small-signal s-parameters of 2-20GHz amplifiers
fabricated at MACOM and at AFRL. fabricated at MACOM and at AFRL.
both a 27-3GHz amplifier with over 35dBm of 6dB [2] R. Fitch, et al., Implementation of High-Power-Density X-
compressed power and a 2-20GHz amplifier. Band AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors in a
The targeted reliability for a failure criterion of a 20% drop Millimeter-Wave Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit
in Idss is 1e6 hours at Vds=25V and 4W/mm, at a channel Process, IEEE Electron Device Lett., vol. 36, no. 10, pp.
temperature of 200 °C. A preliminary estimate of Ea is 2.4eV. 1004-1007, Oct. 2015.
Reliability testing is in progress.
MACOM’s 0.14um GaN-on-SiC (GSiC140) MMIC [3] R. Fitch, J. Gillespie, D. Via, D. Agresta, T. Jenkins, G.
process will be made available to strategic customers for Jessen, N. Moser, A. Crespo, A. Dabiran, and A. Osinsky,
foundry access. MACOM will support this with complete Effect of Silicon Nitride PECVD Growth on AlGaN/GaN
Process Design Kits (PDKs), web-based DRC/LVS and back- HEMT Dispersion and Breakdown Characteristics, Proc.
end services including dice, test and AVI. Elect. Chem. Soc. SOTAPOCS, Honolulu, HI, USA, 2004,
pp. 459-464.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ACRONYMS
The authors would like to thank Fab personnel at both AFRL
and MACOM’s Lowell, MA Fab. MMIC: Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit
PA: Power Amplifier
REFERENCES PDK: Process Design Kit
PECVD: Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition
[1] J.K. Gillespie, et al., Demonstration of X-band T/R MMIC pHEMT: pseudo-morphic Hogh Electron Mobility
Using AFRL AlGaN/GaN MMIC Process, 2016 Transistor
CSMANTECH Technical Digest, pp. 23-26, May 2016. RF: Radio Frequency
RTA: Rapid Thermal Annealing
T/R: Transmit and Receive

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