A high-power multi-port 0.46THz radiation source in nano-scale silicon technology using fundamental-frequency oscillation beyond fMAX of transistors

Abstract

A silicon-integrated vertical IMPATT (V-IMPATT) diode is introduced and its implementation in a silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS process is presented. The device exhibits active behavior and negative resistance at > 400GHz, far above the fMAX of transistors in that technology node. Furthermore, it provides much higher output power compared to transistor-based harmonic power generation thanks to operation in breakdown region with much larger allowable voltage swing compared to transistors. As a result, using this device, generation of high oscillation power is enabled in nano-scale silicon process. In addition, a four-port on-chip cavity-backed antenna structure, as a multi-port resonator,power-combiner, and antenna is vertically integrated with four V-IMPATT devices to build a silicon-integrated 0.46THz radiation source, demonstrating 10.5dBm total radiated power and 18.5dBm EIRP.