Nonlinear RF device modelling in the presence of low‐frequency dispersive phenomena

Theoretical and practical issues concerning the nonlinear dynamic modelling of electron devices are discussed in this article. All the different dynamic phenomena, which are important for the description of the device behaviour, are comprehensively dealt with by means of a unified mathematical derivation. In particular, both the “fast” dynamics associated with charge‐storage phenomena at high operating frequencies and the “slow” dynamics of low‐frequency dispersion, due to device self‐heating and “charge‐trapping” effects in deep‐bulk and surface regions, are simultaneously taken into account. The result is an empirical, technology‐independent and nonquasi‐static model of electron devices, suitable for a simple and reliable identification procedure and based on conventional measurements of static characteristics and bias‐ and frequency‐ dependent small‐signal parameters. The model implementation in the framework of commercially available CAD tools is also outlined in this article. Experimental validation, based on a GaAs p‐HEMT, is also presented. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2006.

[1]  H. K. Gummel.  A charge control relation for bipolar transistors , 1970, Bell Syst. Tech. J..

[2]  W. Curtice.  A MESFET Model for Use in the Design of GaAs Integrated Circuits , 1980 .

[3]  T. Kacprzak,et al.  Computer Calculation of Large-Signal GaAs FET Amplifier Characteristics , 1985 .

[4]  R.A. Pucel,et al.  GaAs FET device and circuit simulation in SPICE , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[5]  P. Ladbrooke,et al.  Low-field low-frequency dispersion of transconductance in GaAs MESFETs with implications for other rate-dependent anomalies , 1988 .

[6]  R. Goyal,et al.  A low-frequency GaAs MESFET circuit model , 1988 .

[7]  G. Maracas,et al.  Frequency-dependent electrical characteristics of GaAs MESFETs , 1990 .

[8]  David E. Root,et al.  Technology Independent Large Signal Non Quasi-Static FET Models by Direct Construction from Automatically Characterized Device Data , 1991, 1991 21st European Microwave Conference.

[9]  V. A. Monaco,et al.  A nonlinear integral model of electron devices for HB circuit analysis , 1992 .

[10]  R. Daniels,et al.  A universal large/small signal 3-terminal FET model using a nonquasistatic charge-based approach , 1993 .

[11]  Empirical modeling of low-frequency dispersive effects due to traps and thermal phenomena in III-V FETs , 1995, Proceedings of 1995 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[12]  J. Graffeuil,et al.  Deep level characterisation in GaAs FETs by means of the frequency dispersion of the output impedance , 1995 .

[13]  G. Kompa.  Modeling of dispersive microwave FET devices using a quasi‐static approach , 1995 .

[14]  G Kompa,et al.  Dispersive table-based large-signal FET model validated in analysis of MMIC frequency doubler , 1996, 1996 26th European Microwave Conference.

[15]  I. Angelov,et al.  Extensions of the Chalmers nonlinear HEMT and MESFET model , 1996 .

[16]  Jonathan B. Scott,et al.  Pulsed device measurements and applications , 1996 .

[17]  Kye-Ik Jeon,et al.  A frequency dispersion model of GaAs MESFET for large-signal applications , 1997 .

[18]  Thomas J. Brazil,et al.  A scalable general-purpose model for microwave FETs including DC/AC dispersion effects , 1997 .

[19]  T. Roh,et al.  A simple and accurate MESFET channel-current model including bias-dependent dispersion and thermal phenomena , 1997 .

[20]  Giorgio Vannini,et al.  ‘Backgating’ model including self-heating for low-frequency dispersive effects in III-V FETs , 1998 .

[21]  J. Teyssier,et al.  40-GHz/150-ns versatile pulsed measurement system for microwave transistor isothermal characterization , 1998 .

[22]  D. R. Webster,et al.  Large signal frequency dispersion effects in indium phosphide HEMTs , 1999 .

[23]  H. Massler,et al.  A simplified broad-band large-signal nonquasi-static table-based FET model , 2000 .

[24]  Alessandra Costanzo,et al.  An accurate bilateral FET model suitable for general nonlinear and power applications , 2000 .

[25]  A. Mediavilla,et al.  Characterization of thermal and frequency-dispersion effects in GaAs MESFET devices , 2001 .

[26]  A. Santarelli,et al.  Equivalent-voltage approach for modeling low-frequency dispersive effects in microwave FETs , 2002, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[27]  G. P. Gualtieri,et al.  A modified Volterra series approach for nonlinear dynamic systems modeling , 2002 .

[28]  K. Webb,et al.  A temperature-dependent nonlinear analytic model for AlGaN-GaN HEMTs on SiC , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[29]  J. Johnson,et al.  Generalized nonlinear FET/HEMT modeling , 2004 .

[30]  P.A. Traverso,et al.  On-wafer I/V measurement setup for the characterization of low-frequency dispersion in electron devices , 2004, ARFTG 63rd Conference, Spring 2004.

[31]  M. Pagani,et al.  Accurate modeling of electron device I/V characteristics through a simplified large‐signal measurement setup , 2005 .