InP HEMT for Sub-Millimeter Wave Space Applications: Status and

Challenges
W.R. Deal
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Redondo Beach, CA, 90272 USA

Abstract InP HEMT technology has long had a place in both

civil and defense space applications, particularly at millimeter
wavelengths where its high speed and low DC power provide
clear benefits. With a new generation of transistor showing fMAX
> 1.2 and integrated circuits operating frequencies reaching 850
GHz, new performance levels and applications become possible.
This talk will provide a status of capabilities and technology
readiness, as well as emerging applications.

I. INTRODUCTION

ITH its high electron velocity, Indium Phosphide

(InP) High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMT)
transistors show a variety of superior RF characteristics
compared to HEMTs realized in alternate material systems. In
particular, their high speed, low DC power consumption and
excellent noise characteristics makes InP HEMT and excellent
choice for space based millimeter wave receivers. Most
commonly found in Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) Monolithic
Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs), InP HEMTs are also
used as efficient driver amplifiers, and are sometimes used in
other circuit functions as well. Shown in Fig. 1 is a cross
section highlighting Northrop Grummans MMIC process.

GaAs or GaN. Additional scaling further accentuates these

benefits.
Over the last decade, DARPA has invested significant funds
in scaling InP transistors. As a result of the DARPA SWIFT
program, Northrop Grumman reported an InP HEMT
transistor with a maximum frequency of oscillation (fMAX)
greater than 1 THz (1000 GHz) for the first time [1]. Later, on
the DARPA Terahertz Electronics Program, this benchmark
was pushed to as high as 1.4 THz for a InP HEMT transistor
with a 25 nm gate (Fig. 2). This is significant because
practical working amplifiers can be realized to a significant

Fig. 2. Extrapolation of 25 nm InP HEMT fMAX for a 14 um transistor. Note

that the measurement from three bands are shown, with red trace covering to
100 GHz GHz, the magenta trace covering the WR1.5 band and the purple
trace covering the WR1.2 waveguide band. Drawing a 20 dB/decade line on
the WR1.2 data gives an estimated fMAX of 1.42 THz. Note that the
intersection of the 10 dB/decade line and 20 dB/decade line is where the
transistor k-factor becomes unity, and is estimated to be 760 GHz in this plot.

Fig. 1. Cross-section of InP HEMT MMIC process. Fabricated on an InP

substrate, the transistor process uses an MBE grown epitaxial process and Tgate for high frequency process. Front-side processes include an airbridge
process, thin film resistor (TFR) and metal-insulator metal (MIM) capacitor
frontside processes, as well as a backside process to thin the wafer with
backside substrate vias.

Significantly developed in the 1990s, InP HEMT MMICs are

now commonly found in both DoD applications, such as
communications, and scientific applications which typically a
flavor of radiometry. Typical nodes for millimeter wave space
applications include 0.1 um and 0.15 um gatelengths. These
are common gatelengths for other production compound
semiconductor material systems, such as GaAs and GaN.
Note that, due to its material properties, InP HEMT yields a
higher speed device at a particular gatelength compared to

fraction of fMAX. If we assume that practical amplifiers can be

realized to MAG/MSG break frequency where the k-factor
becomes unity, Fig. 2 shows that amplifiers are practical to
approximately 760 GHz in this technology. This has indeed
been shown to be true, with MMIC amplifiers now
demonstrated to 850 GHz [2]. In fact, entire LNA-based
receivers have been realized in this technology to 670 GHz [3]
and are in development at 850 GHz.
II. MATURATION OF ADVANCED INP HEMT FOR SUBMILLIMETER WAVE APPLICATIONS
Along with the extraordinary high frequency fMAX, these
advanced InP HEMT technologies have shown excellent noise
characteristics, and the ability to amplify power well into the
sub-millimeter wave frequency range [3].
These
characteristics suggest a number of applications. From the
DoD side, high resolution radars and high bandwidth

technology, including an LNA operating from 235-380 GHz

and one operating in the 660 GHz band.
From the proceeding paragraphs, it is clear that the
atmospheric sensing community views InP HEMT as a
promising technology for space applications.
Another
potential application area is in receivers for radioastronomy.
For instance, an SIS receiver for the 1.9 THz ionized carbon
fine line structure would have its Local Oscillator drive
generated by a x3 multiplier at 633 GHz. This LO chain to
drive the 633 GHz multiplier would typically be realized with
a W-Band power combined amplifier at 105 GHz followed by
a x3 and a x2 multiplier and therefore reach the 633 GHz
output frequency. However, solid state power amplification
has demonstrated more than 2.5 mW of output power near this
frequency. Moreover, the high level of integration afforded by
InP HEMT can considerably simplify the chain and lead to
reduced DC power consumption and reduced mass. Shown in
Fig. 3 is a x9 multiplier chain with an output near 400 GHz.
With the availability of power amplification at 633 GHz, this
chain could be redesigned for a 633 GHz output frequency.
III. RF CAPABILITIES
6000
Noise Temperature [K]

communications systems become feasible. The DARPA

ViSAR (Video Synthetic Aperture Radar) program is currently
developing a system using sub-50 nm InP HEMT transistors
for its receivers and exciters. Measurements with 670 GHz
LNAs using the 25 nm InP HEMT technology show that
passive sub-millimeter wave imaging may be viable at room
temperature using this technology [4].
The prior paragraph suggests that future DoD systems may
incorporate these advanced InP HEMT technologies.
However, existing missions by the scientific community
should see significant benefits from advanced InP HEMT
technology. Earth science in particular should benefit from a
new generation of highly sensitive LNA-based receivers with
low DC power consumption and low volume which both
improve current mission capabilities, as well as enabling new
missions.
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory is an early adopter of
the sub-50 nm InP HEMT technology [5-7]. At JPL, scientists
and engineers are working on highly integrated systems at 90200 GHz for CubeSats for weather, clouds and precipitation
measurements including CHARM/RACE. This system is
currently slated for an October 2014 launch. Work is also
being done on adapting InP HEMT for array technologies for
atmospheric temperature and humidity sounding at 118 and
183 GHz (GeoSTAR-III). This group is also prototyping a
128-element array at 183 GHz using compact, mass produced
receivers in IC style packages.

Noise Temp at
MMIC
Noise Temp at
Package

5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
0

200

400

600

800

1000

Frequency [GHz]

Fig. 3. X9 multiplier chain with output frequency at approximately 400 GHz.

Power amplification is included at output to boost output power above 5 mW

Recent Instrument Incubator Program (IIP) efforts funded

by NASA are focused on the 25 nm InP HEMT process. In
collaboration with Northrop Grumman, JPLs Compact
Adaptable Microwave Limb Sounder (CAMLS) will be
developed to make critical measurements of composition,
humidity and clouds in the upper troposphere and stratosphere.
The 25 nm InP HEMT technology will be used in a 340 GHz
MMIC receiver front-end. In collaboration with JPL and
Northrop Grumman, Colorado State University is developing
a new, wide-band millimeter and sub-millimeter wave
radiometer instrument designed to measure Tropospheric
Water and Cloud ICE (TWICE). The instrument will provide
new capabilities to measure upper-tropospheric water vapor,
cloud ice particle size distribution and water content. Several
of the instrument's receivers will use the 25 nm InP HEMT

Fig. 4. Noise temperature benchmarks in Northrop Grumman sub-50 nm and

25 nm InP HEMT process after [3]

Key to practical applications in the sub-millimeter wave

frequency range is the sensitivity of low-noise amplifiers and
output power of driver amplifiers. Similar to that shown in
[3], a plot of noise temperature benchmarks in Northrop
Grummans advanced InP HEMT processes is shown in Fig.
4. Note that many of these are for first pass developments and
that improvements are expected for future iterations, both
through modeling and design improvements, as well as
through future process improvements. All of these results
have been measured in package (red). Where packaging
losses are known, we have attempted to de-embed the MMIC
noise temperature.
In a similar manner, Fig. 5 shows power benchmarks
obtained using Northrop Grummans sub-50 nm and 25 nm
InP HEMT process after [3]. All measurements were taken on

packaged amplifiers (red) and we have attempted to de-embed

the transition losses when they are known (blue).
IV.

CHALLENGES

In this section we briefly touch upon some of the challenges

which may be encountered in developing sub-millimeter wave
receivers. Some of these challenges have been addressed,
while some must be addressed as the technology reaches
sufficient maturity for insertion.
New processes have been developed for the advanced
frontside and backside processing. These are similar to our
production processes, but have been modified for high
frequency performance. MMIC feature sizes in topside metal
and first interconnect metal are 1.5 um. Additionally, the
thickness of the topside metal is reduced to improve feature
resolution at the expense of current handling. The MIM
capacitance at 1200 pF/mm^2 value is twice that of our
standard process. Two TFR values are used. For high
frequency operation, wafers are lapped to as thin as 18 um.
Passivations are thinned relative to production flight processes
to reduce device parasitics for high speed operation. The gate
of the transistor itself is highly scaled. Some work is now
ongoing to benchmark yield and reliability.
30

challenging to perform NFmin measurements directly on the

devices using noise parameter testsets. These measurements
are done at relatively low frequencies to extract the noise
model, which can then be extrapololated upwards in
frequency. Weve found that the extremely high low
frequency gain causes the devices to oscillate. Our noise
modeling has instead relied on designing MMICs and then
empirically adjusting the noise model. Other parameters
which would benefit designers and system designers include
better 1/f noise understanding and process tolerances for yield
analysis. We expect that, as the process matures and is
adopted by sub-millimeter wave applications, this knowledge
will be learned.
At the time of writing this paper, there is currently a high
amount of interest in the scientific and engineering community
about capability and performance of sub-millimeter wave
amplifier technology.
V. SUMMARY
In this paper, an overview of advanced InP HEMT for submillimeter wave space applications is provided.
The
technology itself is recently developed and promises to find
application in atmospheric science, radioastronomy, and in
future DoD applications.
VI. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Power [dBm]

25

This paper draws on the work performed by a large number

of people. I would like to recognize the contributions of Drs.
Gerry Mei, Kevin Leong, Rich Lai, Vesna Radisic, Steve
Sarkozy, Sean Shih, Mike Lange, as well as the contributions
of Ben Gorospe, Khahn Nguyen, Jane Lee, Joe Zhou, Bichson
Nguyen, Camille Seig-Fosvelt, Alex Zamora, Jose Padilla and
many others.

20
15
10
5

REFERENCES

Power referenced to MMIC

Power referenced to package

0
100

Frequency [GHz]

1000

Fig. 5. Power amplification benchmarks in Northrop Grumman sub-50 nm

and 25 nm InP HEMT process after [3]

A second, very practical, challenge is that of packaging

MMICs at sub-millimeter wave frequencies. Although not
described in detail, we describe some of the techniques and
trade-offs. The traditional technique of wirebonding an Eplane probe fabricated on a quartz substrate has been used to
at least 220 GHz. It works quite well at lower frequencies and
shows excellent insertion loss. Challenges related to this
technique are the inductance of the wirebond, which can cause
mismatch loss, or reduced bandwidth if compensation
networks are used. In an attempt to mitigate these issues, we
have taken to integrating a dipole electromagnetic probe
directly on the chip for a direct transition to waveguide.
Other questions will be more fully answered as the
technology matures.
For instance, we have found it

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