Low-Noise Si/SiGe HBT for LEO Satellite User Terminals in Ku-Ka Bands
Alexis Gauthier, Edoardo Brezza, Alex Montagne, Nicolas Guitard, J.A.N. Gonçalves, M. Buczkó, S. Jan, N. Derrier, D. Céli, C. Deglise-Favre, Jianguo Ma, H. Audouin, F. Deprat, I D. Ristoiu, Ludovic Berthier, L. Clément, B. Grelaud, C. Rougier, P. Chevalier
Abstract
This paper discusses technological choices and resulting performances of an innovative Si/SiGe HBT architecture developed for a new 55-nm BiCMOS platform from STMicroelectronics targeting LEO satellites user terminals application in Ku-Ka bands. Transistor architecture has been designed to combine a low-noise performance with a cost-effective technology (for high-volume production), that are two major requirements for LEO satellite user terminals. Collector integration is widely simplified compared to previous BiCMOS technologies developed by STMicroelectronics taking advantage of ion implantation capabilities. Low-noise performance is addressed by a new generation of emitter-base architecture featuring an epitaxial base link, reducing the base resistance. Record noise performances are demonstrated with <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$NF_{\text{MIN}}\sim$</tex> 0.6-dB at 20 GHz at device level and 1.13-dB at 11.85 GHz at circuit (packaged receiver) level associated to a gain of ~28dB. SiGe HBT also features −390 GHZ <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$f_\mathrm{T}$</tex> and −500-GHz <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$f_\text{MAX}$</tex>