imec HBT

Belgium based research consortium Imec has developed a heterojunction bipolar transistor device with peak f(max) values above 450GHz as a key enabler for millimetre-wave low-power circuits to be used in automotive radar applications. Imec used a silicon-germanium: carbon heterojunction bipolar transistor process technology which improves device performance by adding small amounts of germanium and carbon to the silicon transistor base. Compared to III-V HBT devices, SiGe:C HBTs combine high-density and low-cost integration, making them more suitable for consumer applications.