On-Wafer Characterization At sub-THz Frequencies

Comparing 6G requirements in terms of radio performance with respect to all the limitations that result from using higher frequencies for signal propagation, a higher throughput in terms of power and efficiency is very desirable for the millimeterwave (mmWave) or THz circuits. The performance of these RF circuits is limited by the performance of transistors and other active devices. Due to the physical limitations of transistors at these frequencies, the maximum available output power degrades drastically. For this reason, an excellent understanding of the RF behavior of semiconductor components in higher frequency applications is essential. Creating accurate models of the new semiconductor devices under different operation conditions and in a wide frequency range becomes crucial in driving applications.

Wafer-level measurement systems offered by our partner MPI Corporation with RF characteristics testing by means of a vector network analyzer are the first choice when the widest possible dynamic range of mmWave device characterization is required. Adding load-pull completes the characterization of new semiconductor components.