TriQuint Semiconductor, Inc. unveiled its TQP13-N process technology for designing and manufacturing cost-effective, high frequency millimeter-wave products for the commercial marketplace. The process replaces traditional E-beam with optical gate lithography, which offers cost savings over other millimeter-wave technologies.
Historically, millimeter-wave applications, which operate in frequencies up to 95 GHz, have been limited to military and other low volume products due to high cost. The introduction of TriQuint’s TQP13-N process promises to broaden the market for higher frequency applications by offering manufacturers a cost-effective solution for high volume millimeter-wave products. Mobile satellite TV, WirelessHD and adaptive cruise control (ACC) are examples of millimeter-wave applications that could be built using TQP13-N. Gartner Inc., a research and advisory firm, notes the global penetration rate for ACC is just one percent today. However, by 2015, Gartner expects more than half of all new cars will be fitted with ACC or some variant.
According to Frost & Sullivan Program Manager Sandeep Kar, “Over 40 percent of all minivans, full-size SUVs, and luxury SUVs manufactured in the last two years featured Rear Seat Entertainment systems or LCD screens, providing a broad customer base capable of integrating aftermarket mobile satellite television systems.”
TriQuint's TQP13-N technology is enabled by a patented 150 mm GaAs wafer manufacturing process. It incorporates a highly repeatable optically defined 0.13 um self-aligned gate pHEMT FET using a highly reliable refractory gate metal system, coupled with high density capacitors, epitaxial and nichrome resistors, and two layers of gold interconnect. The use of optically defined gates greatly reduces the cost of production relative to similar processes based on E-beam gate lithography.