"Radar Love"
Microwave Product Digest Feature Article
September 2009

Bishnu Gogoi, BJ Lyman, Michael Purchine, Dave Rice
HVVi Semiconductors, Inc.

Addressing changes and challenges that have evolved within the field of Pulsed Power Transistors, HVVi's Feature Article in the September issue of Microwave Product Digest focuses on the robust attributes of our enhanced-mode High Voltage Vertical Field Effect Transistor (HVVFETT) process utilized to develop the entire line-up of HVVi RF Pulsed Power Transistors.

Also discussed within this article is an internal Pulsed Reliability Study that was conducted to assure the integrity of our gold metallization assembly and manufacturing techniques. The results of this 10-Billion pulse RF stress test support the long-term reliability of our devices for civilian and defense oriented airborne and radar applications.

The HVVFET structure and packaging technology combine to produce a novel RF Power FET that significantly advances state-of-the-art performance of pulsed power transistors with superior gain, power density, and reliability. The MPD feature article may be obtained through the following link.

http://www.mpdigest.com/issue/Articles/2009/sept/hvvi/Default.asp

HVVi completes Multi-Billion Pulse Reliability Study

10 Billion Pulsed RF Cycles

A primary concern for military and commercial radar systems is the long-term reliability of the components used. HVVi is committed to ensuring that their high power pulsed RF transistor devices meet or exceed the stringent reliability requirements for these applications. The HVVFET™ is an extremely rugged (VSWR 20:1) and reliable pulse transistor that is based on a silicon MOSFET structure which is processed using conventional wafer processing equipment. For qualification, HVVi is performing all industry standard reliability testing applicable to our product following JEDEC, AEC, and MIL standards.

In addition to meeting strict quality and reliability standards required for high-power semiconductor devices, HVVi has taken additional steps to demonstrate the reliability and robustness of the their devices under actual operating conditions. The devices were tested for electrical and mechanical stresses by completing a study of 10 billion RF pulse cycles. This study was done to demonstrate that the HVVi product line does not suffer from several common failure mechanisms experienced using competing technologies. One common failure mode is bond wire fatigue that can occur in aluminum wire due to thermally induced mechanical stress under pulsed conditions. HVVi devices are not susceptible to this issue since gold wire is used in its internal pre-matching networks. In addition, metal migration is a concern for bipolar and LDMOS devices due to high current densities created in their respective feed structures. The HVVFET has a minimum of 3x lower current densities than LDMOS or bipolar due to its inherent feed structure. This results in better long-term reliability due to reduced chance of metal migration.

In conclusion, our study demonstrates that that no physical, mechanical, or electrical degradation is observed after 10 billion pulsed RF cycles.

For questions or comments relating to this, or other HVVi News items, please contact .

Pulsed Lifetime Study (pdf)

HVVi reliability/qualification flow

HVVi Semiconductors receives 2008 Product of the Year award
for "Best Development in Silicon RF Power Architecture"

Announced by EN-Genius Network on January 12, 2009

Paul McGoldrick, left, EN-Genius Network Editor-in-Chief,
presents the award to HVVi CEO L.J. Reed

Commenting on HVVi's patented High Voltage Vertical Field Effect Transistor (HVVFET), EN-Genius recognized the system-level advantages (High Voltage, High Gain, Low Parasitics) that can be attained through this revolutionary device structure, when compared to legacy Silicon Bipolar or Silicon LDMOS.

EN-Genius Network is a premier source for electronic design engineers working in the fields of power management, audio/video, acquisition, connectivity, networking, wireless applications, dsp, programmable logic, and green engineering. This online resource offers a wealth of information in an independent arena free from the limited detail permitted in print publications.

Read about HVVi on the EN-Genius website

Developing Highly Ruggedized Silicon MOSFETs for RF Amplifier Applications

Microwave Journal - January 2009: Technical Feature
Brian Battaglia, Dave Rice, Phuong Le and Mike Purchine, HVVi Semiconductors

This article describes a new vertical silicon MOSFET that has been developed specifically for high power RF amplifier applications. The High Voltage Vertical Field Effect Transistor (HVVFET™) is engineered with unique structural features that produce high breakdown voltage, superior thermal management properties, minimized parasitic capacitance and extremely short gate length. This novel device structure results in a transistor that is inherently more rugged than competing RF power transistors while exhibiting superior RF power performance.

[Full Article]

2008 BEST Electronic Design Winners

Military: Best Silicon Transistors (Tie):

HVVi Semiconductor - HVV1011-300, HVV1214-025, HVV1214-100, HVV1012-060, HVV1012-100, and HVV1012-250 HVVFET transistors

HVVi’s HVV1214-025 HVVFET chosen as one of
EDN’s Hot 100 Electronic Products of 2008

Rugged, high-voltage RF transistor uses
vertical process, yielding better gain

By Paul Rako, Technical Editor -- EDN, 4/30/2008

Start-up HVVi recently introduced the three-member HVVFET (high-voltage-vertical-field-effect-transistor) family of RF-transistor products. Targeting pulsed-radar and avionics applications, the devices employ a process from the company’s investment partner, On Semiconductor. The process employs a vertical structure rather than a lateral structure, providing the devices with better current density and a better thermal path to the heat sink than do LDMOS (laterally diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor) devices. The vertical structure and unique silicon process give the transistors properties rivaling or exceeding those of gallium-nitride and other transistors. The HVVFET's low gate capacitance improves frequency response, its low drain-to-source capacitance improves efficiency, and its low on-resistance improves power handling.

[Full Article]

HVVi Semiconductors Announces First HVVFET Power Transistors for DME Applications at European Microwave Week
October 27 2008

Daniel Ong , HVVi Semiconductors Inc.
Matt Quint, Quint Public Relations

Amsterdam, NL– October 27, 2008 – HVVi Semiconductors, Inc., a developer of silicon RF power transistors, announced today the company’s first products for airborne Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) applications operating in the 1025 to 1150 MHz frequency band. Based on the industry’s first High Voltage Vertical Field Effect Transistor (HVVFET™) architecture, the new HVV1012-060, HVV1012-100 and HVV1012-250 RF transistors deliver higher output power and gain in a smaller package than competitive technologies. By complementing previously announced products in the 1.2 to 1.4 GHz and 1030 to 1090 MHz bands, the new devices extend HVVi Semiconductor’s growing product portfolio across all three pulsed applications in the L-band frequency.  HVVI will be exhibiting its complete line of HVVFET RF transistors for pulsed radar applications in Stand 1413 at the RAI Centre in Amsterdam from October 28-30 at European Microwave Week, the leading microwave, RF, wireless and radar conference in Europe.

[Full Article]

New Silicon Microwave Power Transistor Simplifies RF Design
MPD Microwave Product Digest, September 2008

Brian Battaglia, Phuong Le, Mike Watts, HVVi Semiconductors Inc.

Over the last few decades, designers of microwave communication systems and subsystems have leveraged ongoing advances in CMOS semiconductor process technology to integrate a variety of digital and analog components and dramatically reduce the size and weight of their systems. One of the few exceptions has been high power amplifiers (PAs) [1]. For the most part, designers of these crucial components have not been able to take advantage of the rapid size and weight reductions seen in other parts of microwave communications systems for two important reasons. First, the high performance requirements of PAs have made it extremely difficult to integrate these functions into CMOS fabrication processes. Second, due to their high performance characteristics, PAs generate significant amounts of heat which must be dissipated away from other system components to ensure high reliability.

[Full Article]

Power Transistor Advances Enhance Military Radar Designs
COTS Journal, August 2008

Daniel W. Ong, Product Manager, HVVi Semiconductors

Military avionics and radar design has seen profound changes over the past few decades. New multi-mode systems now allow radar to simultaneously track air and sea targets while continuously scanning an operational area. New signal processing techniques such as pulse compression increase resolution while maintaining range. Ground-based
radar (GBR) systems operating in the 1.2 GHz to 1.4 GHz band offer better range and visibility than they ever have before. Daniel W. Ong, Product Manager HVVi Semiconductors

[Full Article]

Reprinted from COTS Journal, August 2008 – www.cotsjournalonline.com

First Generation High Voltage Vertical FET
Microwave Journal, June 2008

Radio Frequency (RF) power amplifiers play a critical role in a broad range of wireless applications, including infrastructure for mobile devices and cell phones, broadcasting and medical equipment, satellite and military communications, emergency radios, and radar. Increasing demands on overall system performance, in turn, translates into added pressure on power amplifiers to deliver excellent efficiency (for low power consumption), linearity, and reliability at a reasonable size and cost.

[Full Article]

Reprinted from Microwave Journal, June 2008 – www.mwjournal.com

RF/Microwave Technologies Advance For Military Systems

Microwaves & RF, June 2008
by Jack Browne

Military electronics systems generally leverage the latest technologies in order to achieve performance or even tactical advantages. Although systems, such as radar and electronicwarfare (EW) platforms, are comprehensive collections of analog, digital, and RF circuits and devices, it is often the technology in a part as small as a transistor that can have an enormous impact on the overall performance of a military electronics system.

[Full Article]