WIN Semiconductors Corp. (TPEx:3105), the world’s largest pure-play compound semiconductor foundry, announces the release of its latest generation 0.1µm pHEMT technology, PP10-20. Building on the mature and production proven PP10 platform, this second-generation technology provides a substantial increase in transistor gain and improves ƒt/ƒmax to 160GHz and 240 GHz respectively. These improvements have been achieved while maintaining reliable 4V operation necessary for backhaul power amplifiers and high linearity receivers operating from W-band though D-band.

Targeting applications above 100GHz, this multifunction GaAs pHEMT technology can be used for low noise and power amplifiers as well as wide bandwidth modulator drivers for high data rate fiber optics. PP10-20 has two interconnect metal layers with air-bridge crossovers and includes monolithic PN-junction diodes for compact on-chip ESD protection circuits. This technology is manufactured on 150mm GaAs substrates with a final wafer thickness of 50µm. A backside ground plane with through-wafer-vias (TWV) are standard for PP10-20 and TWVs can be configured as through-chip RF transitions to eliminate the adverse impact of bond wires at millimeter wave frequencies.

“PP10-20 builds upon the mature PP10-10 platform used in many of today’s E-band power amplifiers deployed in wireless backhaul. WIN’s deep understanding of III-V junction engineering yielded a substantial improvement in transistor performance without the need to reduce gate length. This approach reduces overall technology risk and achieves increased transistor performance while maintaining the high production yields our customers expect,” said David Danzilio, Senior Vice President of WIN Semiconductors Corp.