The compelling demand for higher performance and lower power consumption in electronic systems is the main driving force of the electronics industry's quest for devices and/or architectures based on new materials. Here, we provide a review of electronic devices based on two-dimensional materials, outlining their potential as a technological option beyond scaled complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor switches. We focus on the performance limits and advantages of these materials and associated technologies, when exploited for both digital and analog applications, focusing on the main figures of merit needed to meet industry requirements. We also discuss the use of two-dimensional materials as an enabling factor for flexible electronics and provide our perspectives on future developments.

Electronics based on two-dimensional materials

Recent changes in how people consume multimedia services are causing an explosive increase in mobile traffic. With more and more people using wireless networks, the demand for the ultra-fast wireless communications systems is increasing. To date, this demand has been accommodated with advanced modulation schemes and signal-processing technologies at microwave frequencies. However, without increasing the carrier frequencies for more spectral resources, it may be quite difficult to keep up with the needs of users. Although there are several alternative bands, recent advances in terahertz-wave (THz-wave) technologies have attracted attention due to the huge bandwidth of THz waves and its potential for use in wireless communications. The frequency band of 275 ~ 3000 GHz , which has not been allocated for specific uses yet, is especially of interest for future wireless systems with data rates of 10 Gb/s or higher. Although THz communications is still in a very early stage of development, there have been lots of reports that show its potential. In this review, we will examine the current progress of THz-wave technologies related to communications applications and discuss some issues that need to be considered for the future of THz communications.

Present and Future of Terahertz Communications

Gallium-nitride power transistor (GaN HEMT) and integrated circuit technologies have matured dramatically over the last few years, and many hundreds of thousands of devices have been manufactured and fielded in applications ranging from pulsed radars and counter-IED jammers to CATV modules and fourth-generation infrastructure base-stations. GaN HEMT devices, exhibiting high power densities coupled with high breakdown voltages, have opened up the possibilities for highly efficient power amplifiers (PAs) exploiting the principles of waveform engineered designs. This paper summarizes the unique advantages of GaN HEMTs compared to other power transistor technologies, with examples of where such features have been exploited. Since RF power densities of GaN HEMTs are many times higher than other technologies, much attention has also been given to thermal management-examples of both commercial “off-the-shelf” packaging as well as custom heat-sinks are described. The very desirable feature of having accurate large-signal models for both discrete transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuit foundry are emphasized with a number of circuit design examples. GaN HEMT technology has been a major enabler for both very broadband high-PAs and very high-efficiency designs. This paper describes examples of broadband amplifiers, as well as several of the main areas of high-efficiency amplifier design-notably Class-D, Class-E, Class-F, and Class-J approaches, Doherty PAs, envelope-tracking techniques, and Chireix outphasing.

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A Review of GaN on SiC High Electron-Mobility Power Transistors and MMICs

As silicon-based electronics approach the limit of improvements to performance and capacity through dimensional scaling, attention in the semiconductor field has turned to graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice. Its high mobility of charge carriers (electrons and holes) could lead to its use in the next generation of high-performance devices. Graphene is unlikely to replace silicon completely, however, because of the poor on/off current ratio resulting from its zero bandgap. But it could be used to improve silicon-based devices, in particular in high-speed electronics and optical modulators.

A role for graphene in silicon-based semiconductor devices

The techniques and technologies currently being investigated to detect weapons and contraband concealed on persons under clothing are reviewed. The basic phenomenology of the atmosphere and materials that must be understood in order to realize such a system are discussed. The component issues and architectural designs needed to realize systems are outlined. Some conclusions with respect to further technology developments are presented.

Standoff Detection of Weapons and Contraband in the 100 GHz to 1 THz Region

In this paper, we present the latest advancements of sub 50 nm InGaAs/lnAIAs/lnP high electron mobility transistor (InP HEMT) devices that have achieved extrapolated Fmax above 1 THz. This extrapolation is both based on unilateral gain (1.2 THz) and maximum stable gain/maximum available gain (1.1 THz) extrapolations, with an associated fT of 385 GHz. This extrapolation is validated by the demonstration of a 3-stage common source low noise MMIC amplifier which exhibits greater than 18 dB gain at 300 GHz and 15 dB gain at 340 GHz.

Sub 50 nm InP HEMT Device with Fmax Greater than 1 THz

We present an overview of solid-state integrated circuit amplifiers approaching terahertz frequencies based on the latest device technologies which have emerged in the past several years. Highlights include the best reported data from heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) circuits, high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) circuits, and metamorphic HEMT (mHEMT) amplifier circuits. We discuss packaging techniques for the various technologies in waveguide modules and describe the best reported noise figures measured in these technologies. A consequence of THz transistors, namely ultra-low-noise at cryogenic temperatures, will be explored and results presented. We also present a short review of power amplifier technologies for the THz regime. Finally, we discuss emerging materials for THz amplifiers into the next decade.

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An Overview of Solid-State Integrated Circuit Amplifiers in the Submillimeter-Wave and THz Regime

A low Terahertz (324 GHz) frequency generator is realized in 90 nm CMOS by linearly superimposing quadruple (N=4) phase shifted fundamental signals at one fourth of the output frequency (81 GHz). The developed technique minimizes the fundamental, second and third order harmonics without extra filtering and results in a high fundamental-to-4 th harmonic signal conversion ratio of 0.17 or -15.4 dB. The demonstrated prototype produces a calibrated -46 dBm output power when biased at 1 V and 12 mA with 4 GHz tuning range and extrapolated phase noise of -91 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz frequency offset. The linear superposition (LS) technique can be generalized for all even number cases (N=2k, where k=1,2,3,4,...,n) with different tradeoffs in output power and frequency. As CMOS continues to scale, we anticipate the LS N=4 VCO to generate signals beyond 2 Terahertz by using 22 nm CMOS and produce output power up to -1.5 dBm with 1.7% power added efficiency with an LS VCO + Class-B Power Amplifier cascaded circuit architecture.

Terahertz CMOS Frequency Generator Using Linear Superposition Technique

The design and measured results of a six-stage InP monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifier with 20/spl plusmn/6 dB gain from 150 to 215 GHz is reported. The MMIC has integral probes for direct coupling to 140-220 GHz WR5 waveguide without bond wires or external transitions. This is the first amplifier operating above 140 GHz with sufficient gain to be useful as a single-chip amplifier and demonstrates the practicality of MMIC-based systems in this frequency range for use in radiometry, compact radars, and communication systems.

High-gain 150-215-GHz MMIC amplifier with integral waveguide transitions

In this letter, a rectangular waveguide to conductor backed-coplanar waveguide electromagnetic transition suitable of operating at sub-millimeter wave frequencies is demonstrated. The dipole based transition is fabricated using InP monolithic microwave integrated circuit technology. The compact transition eliminates wire-bonding problems (return loss and insertion loss) and is suitable for direct integration of sub-millimeter wave monolithic integrated circuits. Measured transition loss of ~1 dB has been achieved in the frequency range of 340 to 380 GHz.

Lorene Samoska

Papers

Sub 50 nm InP HEMT Device with Fmax Greater than 1 THz

An Overview of Solid-State Integrated Circuit Amplifiers in the Submillimeter-Wave and THz Regime

Terahertz CMOS Frequency Generator Using Linear Superposition Technique

High-gain 150-215-GHz MMIC amplifier with integral waveguide transitions

A 340–380 GHz Integrated CB-CPW-to-Waveguide Transition for Sub Millimeter-Wave MMIC Packaging