[paper] Sub-THz HICUM for SiGe HBTs

Soumya Ranjan Panda, Thomas Zimmer, Anjan Chakravorty, Nicolas Derrier

and Sebastien Fregonese

Exploring Compact Modeling of SiGe HBTs in Sub-THz Range With HICUM

in IEEE TED, DOI: 10.1109/TED.2023.3321017.

IMS laboratory, CNRS, University of Bordeaux (F)
Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras (IN)
STMicroelectronics, 38920 Crolles (F)

Abstract : This study delves deeper into the high frequency (HF) behavior of state-of-the-art sub-THz silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistors (SiGe HBTs) fabricated with 55 nm BiCMOS process technology from STM. Using measurement data, calibrated TCAD simulations, and compact model simulations, we present a comprehensive methodology for extracting several HF parameters (related to parasitic capacitance partitioning and nonquasi-static effects) of the industry standard model, HICUM. The parameter extraction strategies involve thorough physics-based investigation and sensitivity analysis. The latter allowed us to precisely evaluate the effects of parameter variations on frequency dependent characteristics. The accuracy of the finally deployed model is tested by comparing the model simulation with measured small-signal two-port parameters of SiGe HBTs up to 330 GHz.

FIG: a.)  TEM image of the SiGe HBT device; b.) 2D TCAD structure simulation; c.) Large signal equivalent circuit of HICUM L2 compact model; d.) and e.) adjunct networks for vertical NQS effects

Acknowledgment: The authors would like to acknowledge Dider Celi, STM, for valuable discussion about the compact modeling of heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs), and they also like to thank STM for providing the silicon wafers. This work was supported by NANO2022 Important Project of Common European Interest Project (IPCEI), and SHIFT Grant ID 101096256.

[paper] THz characterization and modeling of SiGe HBTs

Sebastien Fregonese, Marina Deng, IEEE member, Marco Cabbia, Chandan Yadav*, IEEE member, Magali De Matos, and Thomas Zimmer, Senior Member, IEEE

THz characterization and modeling of SiGe HBTs

review (invited)

IEEE J-EDS, 2020, pp.1-1 

DOI:10.1109/JEDS.2020.3036135

hal-03014869

IMS Laboratory, University of Bordeaux (F)
*Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, National Institute of Technology Calicut (IN)

Abstract: This paper presents a state-of-art review of on-wafer S-parameter characterization of THz silicon transistors for compact modelling purpose. After, a brief review of calibration/deembedding techniques, the paper focuses on the on-wafer calibration techniques and especially on the design and dimensions of lines built on advanced silicon technologies. Other information such as the pad geometry, the ground plane and the floorplan of the devices under test are also compared. The influence of RF probe geometry on the coupling with the substrate and adjacent structures is also considered to evaluate the accuracy of the measurement, especially using EM simulation methodology. Finally, the importance of measuring above 110 GHz is demonstrated for SiGe HBT parameter extraction. The validation of the compact model is confirmed thanks to an EM-spice cosimulation that integrates the whole calibration cum deembedding procedure.

Fig: EM probe models based on Picoprobe GGB (a) 1 GHz -110 GHz, (b) WR5, (c) WR3 and d) WR2.2. In all models, white=coaxial insulator, gray=solder, yellow=metal.

A complete description of probe topology and technology is given in:

A. Rumiantsev et R. Doerner; RF Probe Technology: History and Selected Topics; IEEE Microw. Mag., vol. 14, no 7, p. 46‑58, Nov. 2013, DOI: 10.1109/MMM.2013.2280241

Aknowledgement: This work is partly funded by the French Nouvelle-Aquitaine Authorities through the FAST project. The authors also acknowledge financial support from the EU under Project Taranto (No. 737454). The authors would like to thank STM for supplying the silicon wafer.

13th HICUM Workshop 2013

HICUM Workshop at TU-Delft, May 27-28, 2013

The HIgh CUrrent Model (HICUM) has become an industry standard and one of the most suitable compact models for modern HBTs fabricated in latest process technologies covering a wide range of high frequency and mmW applications.

Since 2001, the annual HICUM Workshop has become a technical forum for the needs and interests of model users and developers for discussing the present trends and future needs of the bipolar transistor modeling and circuit design community.

Workshop Highlights:

• Special presentation by Prof. Spirito on mm-wave on-wafer measurements
• Various presentations covering the modeling of various bipolar transistor phenomena, new parameter extraction strategies, production-type model development, model testing and performance comparisons
• Special presentations on benchmark circuits for model verification (solicited)

Further queries? Contact: Anindya.Mukherjee@tu-dresden.de or Michael.Schroeter@tu-dresden.de