Accurate AC transistor characterization to 110 GHz using a new four-port self-calibrated extraction technique

Abstract

A new self-calibrated extraction technique for transistor characterization to 110 GHz is presented. This technique offers an on-wafer, four-port extraction approach which greatly improves the measurement accuracy at high frequencies (e.g., f > 30 GHz). In contrast to conventional parasitics-deembedding methodologies (i.e. "open-short"), the present technique requires no additional calibration (e.g., SOLT, LRRM, or TRL) before measurements. The proposed method is first simulated, and then applied to 110 GHz S-parameter measurements of state-of-the-art SiGe HBTs to demonstrate its utility. The results, both theoretical and experimental, show that the proposed method represents a robust, self-calibrated approach for obtaining better accuracy in MM-wave transistor characterization.