GaAs-Based RFIC Technology for Consumer Radios

Abstract

GaAs-based IC technologies are now firmly established in mobile phones and wireless data transmission applications. The success of GaAs MESFET RFICs in recent years comes from the need for improved performance for digital standards and from a significant reduction of the manufacturing costs for wafer fabrication. While there is little doubt that the GaAs IC industry is important today, there are differing opinions about the role of RFIC technologies in future wireless systems. Some believe that GaAs MESFET technology will take over the entire RF section of future radios, while others believe the present foothold will be chipped away as higher performance silicon technologies come on line. Yet others believe that alternate GaAs technologies, such as pHEMT and HBT, will gain greater acceptance for specific RF functional blocks. A minority believe that “radio on a chip” solutions in silicon will come to pass and some think it will include SiGe. In this paper, the author discusses the future of GaAs IC technologies in future commercial radio systems. The specific cost drivers for various process technologies are described and the key performance criteria that the mobile phone makers demand are reviewed. The combination of these factors shows trends in system architectures for future mobile wireless systems.