Why RFIC Solutions for SiGe ?
RFIC Solutions provides high geared solutions for tomorrow’s high-frequency wireless communications such as 5G and high-speed networking applications using SiGe. RFIC Solutions gives high dynamic range for transmitters, and low-cost relative to comparably performing CMOS nodes. RFIC Solutions Taped out 100+ MMIC block in SiGe Technology. RFIC Solutions has a design SiGe expertise in India.
SiGe Technology Fundamentals
SiGe technology, incorporation of germanium into the base region of the transistor opens up new avenues to the device designer to improve frequency response, gain and linearity without the standard constraints of an implanted process. A key figure of merit of a transistor is fT. Today’s silicon technology routinely yields an fT > 250 GHz. However, this improvement comes at the expense of increased base resistance and reduced Early voltage (linearity).
Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) technology is the driving force behind the explosion in low-cost, lightweight, personal communications devices like digital wireless handsets, as well as other entertainment and information technologies like digital set-top boxes, Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS), automobile collision avoidance systems, and personal digital assistants. SiGe extends the life of wireless phone batteries, and allows smaller and more durable communication devices. Products combining the capabilities of cellular phones, global positioning, and Internet access in one package, are being designed using SiGe technology. These multifunction, low-cost, mobile client devices capable of communicating over voice and data networks represent a key element of the future of computing.
Many designers are benefiting from their existing experience in contrast to designing new circuits in CMOS. Time to market will be a benefit for the system designers.
The major advantage of and opportunity for SiGe are that it can be easily integrated into standard bipolar and bipolar-CMOS processes with minimal cost impact. This ability allows the device and circuit designer to improve both the CMOS and heterojunction bipolar devices with respect to power, noise and speed. It is these possibilities that make the technology attractive to wireless markets.
SiGe has provided a material engineering solution that allows for significantly improved transistor performance over conventional silicon transistor technology with similar processing complexity and line width requirements. By using standard Si wafers as well as largely standard production processes and equipment, SiGe provides an optimum cost/performance trade-off for many wireless applications.
The stability and reliability of the SiGe process have been proven by extensive qualification testing as well as the performance of products in the field. With the cost structure of silicon processing, proven RF performance, high level integration ability and increasing acceptance of SiGe as a mainstream process, SiGe provides an optimal RF semiconductor choice for many wireless system applications.