Power performance of InGaAs/InP single HBTs

Typically, the microwave power characteristics of InP/InGaAs SHBTs have not been addressed due to their relatively inferior DC characteristics when compared to DHBTs, which implies early breakdown and thus limited power performance. On the other hand, SHBTs are very attractive for higher frequency applications due to the absence of the heterojunction spike at the base-collector (B-C) interface. Moreover, the homojunction B-C structure offers direct compatibility for HBT integration with PIN diodes, since the latter can be realized by using the B-C-subcollector region. Such integration is needed not only for OEICs but also for MMICs with switching capabilities. This paper reports for the first time a systematic investigation of InP-based SHBT characteristics and demonstrates their suitability for power applications.