This expanded and thoroughly revised edition of Thomas H. Lee's acclaimed guide to the design of gigahertz RF integrated circuits features a completely new chapter on the principles of wireless systems. The chapters on low-noise amplifiers, oscillators and phase noise have been significantly expanded as well. The chapter on architectures now contains several examples of complete chip designs that bring together all the various theoretical and practical elements involved in producing a prototype chip. First Edition Hb (1998): 0-521-63061-4 First Edition Pb (1998); 0-521-63922-0

The Design of CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits: RF CIRCUITS THROUGH THE AGES

We report GaN n++/p++ interband tunnel junctions with repeatable negative differential resistance and low resistance. Reverse and forward tunneling current densities were observed to increase as Si and Mg doping concentrations were increased. Hysteresis-free, bidirectional negative differential resistance was observed at room temperature from these junctions at a forward voltage ∼1.6 V. Thermionic PN junctions with GaN homojunction tunnel contact to the p-layer exhibited forward current density of 150 kA/cm2 at 7.6 V, with a low series device resistance of 1 × 10−5 Ω cm2.

Low-resistance GaN tunnel homojunctions with 150 kA/cm2 current and repeatable negative differential resistance

We report the generation of room temperature microwave oscillations from GaN/AlN resonant tunneling diodes, which exhibit record-high peak current densities. The tunneling heterostructure grown by molecular beam epitaxy on freestanding GaN substrates comprises a thin GaN quantum well embedded between two AlN tunneling barriers. The room temperature current-voltage characteristics exhibit a record-high maximum peak current density of ∼220 kA/cm2. When biased within the negative differential conductance region, microwave oscillations are measured with a fundamental frequency of ∼0.94 GHz, generating an output power of ∼3.0 μW. Both the fundamental frequency and the output power of the oscillator are limited by the external biasing circuit. Using a small-signal equivalent circuit model, the maximum intrinsic frequency of oscillation for these diodes is predicted to be ∼200 GHz. This work represents a significant step towards microwave power generation enabled by resonant tunneling transport, an ultra-fast pr...

Room temperature microwave oscillations in GaN/AlN resonant tunneling diodes with peak current densities up to 220 kA/cm2

We report GaN n++/p++ interband tunnel junctions with repeatable negative differential resistance and low resistance. Reverse and forward tunneling current densities were observed to increase as Si and Mg doping concentrations were increased. Hysteresis-free, bidirectional negative differential resistance was observed at room temperature from these junctions at a forward voltage of ~1.6-2 V. Thermionic PN junctions with tunnel contact to the p-layer exhibited forward current density of 150 kA/cm^2 at 7.6 V, with a low series device resistance of 1 x 10^-5 this http URL^2.

Low-resistance GaN tunnel homojunctions with 150 kA/cm^2 current and repeatable negative differential resistance

We report on photo-detectors consisting of an optical waveguide that incorporates a resonant tunneling diode (RTD). Operating at wavelengths around 1.55 μm in the optical communications C band we achieve maximum sensitivities of around 0.29 A/W which is dependent on the bias voltage. This is due to the nature of RTD nonlinear current-voltage characteristic that has a negative differential resistance (NDR) region. The resonant tunneling diode photo-detector (RTD-PD) can be operated in either non-oscillating or oscillating regimes depending on the bias voltage quiescent point. The oscillating regime is apparent when the RTD-PD is biased in the NDR region giving rise to electrical gain and microwave self-sustained oscillations Taking advantage of the RTD's NDR distinctive characteristics, we demonstrate efficient detection of gigahertz (GHz) modulated optical carriers and optical control of a RTD GHz oscillator. RTD-PD based devices can have applications in generation and optical control of GHz low-phase noise oscillators, clock recovery systems, and fiber optic enabled radio frequency communication systems.

https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/68995/2/68398.pdf

Photo-Detectors Integrated with Resonant Tunneling Diodes

A common problem in designing with Esaki tunneling diodes in circuits is parasitic oscillations, which occur when these devices are biased in their negative differential resistance (NDR) region. Because of this, the measured current-voltage (I-V) characteristics in the NDR region are usually incorrect, with sudden changes in current with voltage and a plateaulike waveform in this region. Using a full nonlinear analysis of the shunt-resistor-stabilized tunnel diode circuit, we have established the criteria for the range of element values that give stable operation. On this basis, I-V measurement circuits can be designed to be free from both low-frequency bias oscillations and high-frequency oscillations. The design equations lead to a direct I-V measurement setup in which the stabilization resistor in series with a capacitor can be employed. Experimental results validate the approach, and this is confirmed by second-derivative analysis (d2I/dV2) of the measured I-V characteristics.

DC Characterization of Tunnel Diodes Under Stable Non-Oscillatory Circuit Conditions

We report on experimental and modeling results on the nonlinear dynamics of a resonant-tunneling-diode-based (RTD) optoelectronic circuits that can be used as the basis of a wireless/optical interface for wireless access networks. The RTD-based circuits are optoelectronic integrated circuits that have negative differential resistance and act as optoelectronic voltage-controlled oscillators. These circuits display many of the features of classic nonlinear dynamics, including chaos and synchronization. These highly nonlinear oscillators behaves as injection-locked oscillators that can be synchronized by a small injection signal of either wireless or optical origin, and thus, can transfer phase encoded information from wireless to the optical domain or the optical to the wireless domain.

Nonlinear Dynamics of Resonant Tunneling Optoelectronic Circuits for Wireless/Optical Interfaces

We present a method to include the effects of light excitation on two different models of resonant-tunneling-diode-based devices. Our approach takes into account both photoconductive and charge accumulation effects responsible for shifting the static I–V curve when the structure is under light excitation. Computational simulations led to good agreement between the model and experimental results.

/pdf/modeling-of-light-sensitive-resonant-tunneling-diode-devices-1etf6nlypb.pdf

Modeling of light-sensitive resonant-tunneling-diode devices

We report high-speed optical modulation in a resonant tunneling relaxation oscillator consisting of a resonant tunneling diode (RTD) integrated with a unipolar optical waveguide and incorporated in a package with a coplanar waveguide transmission line. When appropriately biased, the RTD can provide wide-bandwidth electrical gain. For wavelengths near the material band edge, small changes of the applied voltage give rise to large, high-speed electroabsorption modulation of the light. We have observed optical modulation at frequencies up to 14 GHz, associated with subharmonic injection locking of the RTD oscillation at the fundamental mode of the coplanar transmission line, as well as generation of 33 ps optical pulses due to relaxation oscillation.

/pdf/optical-modulation-in-a-resonant-tunneling-relaxation-2kplqvhcko.pdf

Optical modulation in a resonant tunneling relaxation oscillator

We report on optical injection-locking of a microwave-photonic oscillator based on the integration of a resonant tunneling diode optical waveguide photodetector with a communication laser diode. The oscillator locking was achieved with in-fiber optical powers as low as 0.2 mW, and locking ranges up to 23.8 MHz for in-fiber optical power of few milliwatts and with phase-noise suppression below -110 dBc/Hz at 10-kHz frequency offset from the center frequency. The circuit's dynamics are well described as an optically controlled Lienard oscillator.

J. M. L. Figueiredo

Papers

DC Characterization of Tunnel Diodes Under Stable Non-Oscillatory Circuit Conditions

Nonlinear Dynamics of Resonant Tunneling Optoelectronic Circuits for Wireless/Optical Interfaces

Modeling of light-sensitive resonant-tunneling-diode devices

Optical modulation in a resonant tunneling relaxation oscillator

Optical Control of a Resonant Tunneling Diode Microwave-Photonic Oscillator