InAlN/GaN HEMT technology for robust HF receivers: An overview of the HF and LF noise performances

From the first developments of Nitride technologies using AlGaN/GaN heterostructures for designing high power, high frequency HEMT devices, we now assist to the emergence of new declination with InAlN/GaN heterostructures. Considering the expected better interface quality of this last technology as a consequence of the better lattice match, and better electrical properties, these HEMT devices attract much interest for high frequency applications (transmitter for power, receiver for low noise and robustness versus jamming). Different InAlN/GaN technological developments have been studied considering their frequency and noise parameters for low noise amplifiers in Ka-band. The paper addresses two issues related to noise in InAlN/GaN HEMT devices; one concerns the study of the HF noise performance for different technological processes and for the optimized technology, whereas the second focuses on the gate and drain current LFN spectra of competing technological versions featuring good HF dynamic and noise performance.