Teaching GaAs and GaN MMIC Design: An Education Project Between WIN Semiconductors and UC Boulder

This paper describes a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) design and measurement class at the University of Colorado, Boulder, made possible through a collaboration with WIN Semiconductors. The class covers advanced topics in active microwave circuit design, building towards a final MMIC design project in a GaAs or GaN process, which often leads to a peer-reviewed publication. First, a brief description of the class topics is given, followed by some representative examples of circuit designs and measured results. The class topics include bias lines and matching, amplifiers, oscillators, control devices, as well as an introduction to MMIC fabrication, tapeout requirements, and measurements. Example projects are described, starting from lower frequencies and power levels, with a 1.4-GHz Dicke radiometer implemented in the GaAs PIH1-10 process, featuring over 45 dB gain and a 0.52-dB noise figure. On the higher-power side, a 10-W octave bandwidth 6-12GHz GaN PA for envelope tracking is demonstrated in the NP15-00 process. Other circuits include a codesigned GaN X-band switch and low-noise amplifier (LNA), 6-12GHz continuous phase shifters in both GaAs and GaN, X-band self-synchronous rectifiers in both GaAs and GaN, and a tunable 44-GHz Butler matrix in the PP10-20 millimeter-wave GaAs process. The class enables students not only to learn the fundamentals but also to become proficient in MMIC design through the tapeout and measurement process. This positions students for a competitive advantage and provides a highly trained workforce for the high-frequency semiconductor industry.