Metamorphic InP/InGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors on GaAs substrate: DC and microwave performances

High-performance InP/In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As metamorphic heterojunction bipolar transistors (MHBTs) on GaAs substrate have been fabricated using In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/P strain relief buffer layer grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (SSMBE). The MHBTs exhibited a dc current gain over 100, a unity current gain cutoff frequency (f/sub T/) of 48 GHz and a maximum oscillation frequency (f/sub MAX/) of 42 GHz with low junction leakage current and high breakdown voltages. It has also been shown that the MHBTs have achieved a minimum noise figure of 2 dB at 2 GHz (devices with 5/spl times/5 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ emitter) and a maximum output power of 18 dBm at 2.5 GHz (devices with 5/spl times/20 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ emitter), which are comparable to the values reported on the lattice-matched HBTs (LHBTs). The dc and microwave characteristics show the great potential of the InP/InGaAs MHBTs on GaAs substrate for high-frequency and high-speed applications.