Characterization Test Bench for High Frequency Networks Using Wideband Modulated Stimuli

高性能(宽带；高频、线性和高效)无线电系统的军用雷达、卫星和无线通信应用正在扩大(例如，用于Gbps移动接入的5G网络)。这些无线电系统的设计通常需要一个非常复杂的设计过程；这个过程往往是迭代和昂贵的(为达到期望的性能而进行的测试、重新设计和重新测试的过程)。这种复杂性归因于晶体管固有的非理想性，以及满足严格性能要求所需的复杂电路拓扑和系统架构。在这些情况下，要求晶体管在非线性和大信号模式下工作，以有效地执行所需的功能。当前最先进的设备模型并不总是在广泛的操作条件下(例如，真实的调制信号、功率水平、终端负载)都是准确的。从电路和系统的角度来看，当试图满足当前的设计需求时，需要先进的表征系统的新型器件模型至关重要。该表征系统还能够改进器件制造工艺，从而为特定应用带来改进的晶体管。所要求的基础设施(探针站和脉冲直流表征系统)将补充现有设备，以建立一个高功率大信号网络表征系统。该系统将使研究人员能够创建准确、紧凑和行为的晶体管模型。将这些模型引入到计算机辅助设计仿真环境中，将能够以系统的方式开发先进的电路拓扑和系统架构，从而减少开发新产品和概念验证原型所需的上市时间，从而减少成本。其他组织，如我们的合作伙伴加拿大国家研究委员会，将通过将新型号整合到他们的产品设计套件中，从所要求的基础设施产生的结果中受益，从而增强加拿大各地的工业和学术用户可用的设备技术。

Military radar, satellite and wireless communication applications for high performance (wide bandwidth; high frequency, linearity and efficiency) radio systems are expanding (e.g., 5G networks for Gbps mobile access). The design of these radio systems generally requires a very complex design process; a process that tends to be iterative and costly (a process of testing, redesign and retesting to achieve the desired performance). This complexity is attributed to the inherent non-idealities of the transistors and the sophisticated circuit topologies and system architectures needed to meet the stringent performance demands. Under these circumstances, the transistors are required to operate in nonlinear and large-signal modes to perform desired functions efficiently. Current state-of-the-art device models are not always accurate across a wide range of operating conditions (e.g., realistic modulated signals, power levels, termination loads). Novel device models, which will require advanced characterization systems, are crucial when attempting to meet current design demands from the circuit and system point of view. The characterization system also enables the refinement of the device fabrication process, leading to improved transistors for specific applications. The requested infrastructure (probe station and pulsed DC characterization system) will complement the existing equipment in order to build a high power large signal network characterization system. This system will enable researchers to create accurate compact and behavioural transistor models. Bringing these models into a computer aided design simulation environment will enable the development of advanced circuit topologies and system architectures in a systematic manner, thus reducing the time-to-market required to develop new products and proof-of-concept prototypes and therefore cost. Other organizations such as our partner, the National Research Council of Canada, will benefit from the findings generated with the requested infrastructure by incorporating the new models into their product design kits, thus enhancing device technology available to their industrial and academic users across Canada.