Results of designing the specialized RF elements library intended for use in the CMOS 180 nm process are presented. The RF library includes a set of RF MOSFETs for amplifiers and switches design, three types of varactors based on the MOS-structure, spiral inductors, MIM-capacitors and other elements. The RF library is intended for use in combination with CAD Cadence Virtuoso IC and is focused on designing a set of amplifiers, frequency oscillators and convertors, controlled attenuators and phase shifters microwave IP-blocks of the transceiver VLSI. A test chip is developed with using the presented RF library, focused on conducting research by probe methods and containing 13 types of basic elements and specialized structures for the RF characterization of the domestic CMOS 180 nm process.

The Microwave automated test and measurement system (ATMS) for on-wafer total ionizing dose and dose rate effects investigations is described. The ATMS is based on Cascade PM5 probe station and measurement hardware providing on-wafer investigations of RF and MW ICs with operating frequencies up to 67 GHz. The ATMS is equipped with radiation sources: RIK-0401 X-Ray Source and Radon-8M Laser Source. Dosimetry of radiation sources provided by calibration researches methodologies is described. All measurement hardware and radiation sources are interconnected into single work network controlled by PC with specialized software. The ATMS is used for radiation characterization of RF ICs, IP-blocks, and test structures during an on-wafer investigation. The results of ATMS approbation during 180 nm SOI CMOS process characterization are present.

Measurements and numerical simulation results of GaAs MESFET and PHEMT response to transient irradiation for wide range of ionization levels and bias conditions are presented. It was shown that specific bias conditions and ionization levels can be found for detail separate investigation of channel current change and bipolar-like amplification effects. Simple Shockley FET model was found to be applicable to analyze channel current change due to photovoltage occurrence at channel-buffer junction.

This paper explores the effects of neutron-induced displacement damage on static and high frequency parameters of three types of SiGe:С npn heterostructure bipolar transistors from the SGB25V BiCMOS technology.

Radiation-oriented (RO-) and microwave (MW) characterization of the several process technologies – CMOS silicon-on-insulator (SOI) 180 nm process, CMOS 90 nm process, SiGe BiCMOS 0.42/0.25 µm process, GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) 2 µm process and GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (PHEMT) 0.5 µm process, which suitable for the development of radiation-tolerance transceiver integrated circuits with operating frequencies up to 30 GHz are presented. The results of MW-characterization showed two process technologies manufacturing in "foundry" mode – CMOS SOI 180 nm and CMOS 90 nm potentiality for the development of transceiver ICs with operating frequencies above 3 GHz and 12 GHz respectively. Obtained experimental results allow to determine radiation-tolerance indicators for the total ionizing dose, neutrons, impulse exposure and heavy ions and specify critical elements and IP-block fragments for given processes. Experimental data can be used at the first step of reasonable choice of process technologies for radiation-tolerant transceiver design.

Radio frequency identification systems (RFID) are widely used for monitoring and localization of underground infrastructure objects: pipelines, power, and communication networks. Wireless underground sensor networks (WUSN) are the promising application areas that cover a number of fields: agriculture, mining, environmental control, etc. A progress in semiconductor technologies has opened up new opportunities for developing cheap and compact monolithic ultra-high frequency (UHF) receiver and transmitter integrated circuits - basic building blocks of RFID and WUSN systems. Read range (RR), the path loss (PL) and the bit error rate (BER) are the main characteristics of RFID and WUSN communication channel. The dielectric properties of the soil, determined by the composition and moisture, affect the electromagnetic wave (EMW) propagation that leads to significant PL and limits RR. In this work, a practical approach to UHF underground channel characterization, based on the modified Friis model and the vector network measurements is proposed. The modeling and measurements issues are discussed, that are important for the path loss prediction in the soil with different composition and moisture.

This work focuses on the design issues of radio frequency (RF) bipolar integrated circuits (ICs) as a part of frequency synthesizers for extreme environmental applications. It is shown that silicon-germanium (SiGe) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) as well as bipolar RF ICs (including frequency dividers, voltage-controlled oscillators, and wide-band amplifiers) are highly sensitive to ambient temperature and radiation-induced displacement damage. This article also presents a design approach based on specialized HBT macromodels and hardening techniques.

Design and testing results of a single power supply wide-band low noise amplifier (LNA) based on low cost 0.5 ?m D-mode pHEMT process are presented. It is shown that the designed cascode LNA has operating frequency range up to 3.5 GHz, power gain above 15 dB, noise figure below 2.2 dB, output linearity above 17 dBm and power consumption less than 325 mW. Potential immunity of the LNA to total ionizing dose and destructive single event effects exceed 300 krad and 60 MeV?cm2/mg respectively.

The investigation results of the possibility of manufacturing radiation tolerant microwave amplifiers implementing in domestic GaAs D-mode pHEMT 0.5 μm process are presented in this work. The amplifier with an operating frequency range from 0.1 GHz to 3.5 GHz, gain above 15 dB, noise figure below 2.2 dB, output linearity above 17 dBm is designed, produced and measured. The characteristic property of the amplifier is a single positive supply voltage and extended frequency range up to 100 MHz provided by the external capacitor circuit. Transient radiation effects in the amplifier are investigated up to the dose rate value of 4.9·109 a.u./s. The recovery time does not exceed 4 μs according to the experimental results.

Представлены показатели радиационной стойкости базовых функциональных блоков синтезаторов частот СВЧ-диапазона, изготовленных по различным технологиям

A short overview of single event effects for a variety of RF and microwave ICs is presented. New results obtained at the SPELS test center have been used along with published data.