Sirenza awarded a patent for SiSiC technology
The patent describes a Si-based FET structure grown or bonded onto a SiC substrate for devices operating at 1-4 GHz. The structure allows the relatively low-cost of Si LDMOS to be combined with SiC s superior thermal properties. Sirenza says that the structure offers high-power microwave performance beyond that currently available from any other semiconductor technology. This new patented device structure, coupled with other Sirenza innovative device improvements, will be integrated into the company’s future power amplifier module products targeting the wireless infrastructure market.
“This innovation makes possible a new class of semiconductors demonstrating significant improvement in saturated output power, in power-added efficiency and in power gain over current state-of-the-art LDMOS devices. Additionally, this technology can lead to major reductions in thermal resistance, resulting in lower junction temperatures and enhanced long term device reliability,” states Pablo D’Anna, director of LDMOS technology for Sirenza.
The company thinks that its SiSiC approach could significantly raise the bar for competing high-power technologies, such as GaAs and GaN. A major advantage of the SiSiC approach is that it utilizes standard, low-cost silicon processing, unlike other more exotic competing technologies.”