Integrated Transceivers for 5G Mobile Communications in a strained GaN-HEMT Technology

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Future mobile communications require higher preformance radio frontends. Especially concerning mobile base stations, further miniaturisation and reduction of energy consumption is required together with higher linearity and bandwidth. GaN-based integrated circuits are the technology of choice for these applications due to their capability to combine high-power with low-noise applications. But typical GaN technologies today are optimized for classical power amplification applications. This project approaches three open questions regarding an optimized single-chip radio frontend implementation. First, it is investigated how GaN HEMT transistors can be optimized to a specific application by applying strain to the device‘s channel. The goal is to explain which kind of strain yields optimized noise or switching behavior, and how this could be realized locally on a common chip. Such a technology enables new approaches and circuit topologies for digital power amplifiers, which is the second focus of this project. Also on the reciver side, low noise amplifiers could profit from a strained GaN channel technology, if HEMTs are optimized for low noise and the rugged low-noise amplifier itself protects subsequent electronics against high incident powers. Combining these three topics into one project enables a comprehensive investigation and should enable the realization of a demonstrator chip.