Researchers at Infineon Technologies claim to have set a new world-speed record for silicon chips. The company’s Munich research labs has fabricated carbon-doped silicon germanium (SiGe:C) bipolar ICs that reach an operating frequency of more than 110GHz with minimum power consumption. By way of comparison, silicon-based processors in CMOS used in PCs run with top speeds of less than 4GHz.

Researchers at Infineon Technologies claim to have set a new world-speed record for silicon chips. The company's Munich research labs has fabricated carbon-doped silicon germanium (SiGe:C) bipolar ICs that reach an operating frequency of more than 110GHz with minimum power consumption. By way of comparison, silicon-based processors in CMOS used in PCs run with top speeds of less than 4GHz.

The millimetre-wave frequencies achieved by the Infineon researchers were previously only possible with components made from gallium arsenide.

Devices and products benefiting from these research results in the short term will be high-speed discrete components (transistors and diodes), 40 Gbit/sec low-power wireline communication systems, high speed microwave radio links, ultra wide-band communication systems up to 60GHz and automotive radar systems at 77GHz.

Cut-off frequencies are more than 200GHz. A ring oscillator built on the process has a gate delay time of 3.7psecs. Tests of the high performance circuits indicate well-balanced transistor parameters for analogue and digital applications and very low noise figures.

Three record setting ICs were produced: a 110GHz+ ratio-2 dynamic frequency divider, a 86GHz ratio-32 static frequency divider, and a 95GHz voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). Infineon also demonstrated that an integrated 77GHz automotive radar transceiver in SiGe, based on these building blocks, is now feasible.

The dynamic frequency divider circuit operates with a 5V supply voltage and a current consumption of 62mA. The static frequency divider circuit works with a 5V supply voltage and consumes only 180mA.

The VCO has a phase noise of only -97dBc/Hz at 1MHz carrier offset frequency. The output power is -6dBm. At 5V supply voltage the circuit shows a very low current consumption of 12mA.

Depending on the type of circuit used, the high-frequency chips produced by Infineon are 10-30% faster than similar circuits fabricated by other manufacturers, its is said.

The primary applications are in high-speed communications systems, where higher transmission frequencies allow more data to be transferred in less time. The likely applications include transmitters and receivers in microwave radio links and high-speed communication between electronic equipment and computers (wireless LAN).
Cars present a broad spectrum of possible applications for these high-speed chips - for example, radar-based proximity and collision warning systems.

AngelTech Live III: Join us on 12 April 2021!

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Thanks to the great diversity of the semiconductor industry, we are always chasing new markets and developing a range of exciting technologies.

2021 is no different. Over the last few months interest in deep-UV LEDs has rocketed, due to its capability to disinfect and sanitise areas and combat Covid-19. We shall consider a roadmap for this device, along with technologies for boosting its output.

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Additional areas we will cover include the development of GaN ICs, to improve the reach of power electronics; the great strides that have been made with gallium oxide; and a look at new materials, such as cubic GaN and AlScN.

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