Design of On-Wafer TRL Calibration Kit for InP Technologies Characterization up to 500 GHz

This article reports a detailed approach toward optimization of on-wafer thru-reflect-line (TRL) calibration structures for submillimeter-wave characterization of a state-of-the-art indium-phosphide (InP) technology, validated by thorough experimentation and electromagnetic (EM) simulation. The limitations of the existing RF test structures for high-frequency measurements beyond 110 GHz are analyzed through EM simulation. Using an optimization procedure based on calibration of raw EM simulated data, on-wafer TRL calibration structures were developed and fabricated in a subsequent run of this technology. Measurements could be achieved up to 500 GHz on the passive devices and up to 330 GHz on the InP double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBTs). The transistor measurements were validated by comparison with the HiCuM compact model simulation to 330 GHz for the InP DHBTs.