Circuits and Applications Using Silicon Heterostructure Devices

Book excerpt: No matter how you slice it, semiconductor devices power the communications revolution. Skeptical? Imagine for a moment that you could flip a switch and instantly remove all the integrated circuits from planet Earth. A moment’s reflection would convince you that there is not a single field of human endeavor that would not come to a grinding halt, be it commerce, agriculture, education, medicine, or entertainment. Life, as we have come to expect it, would simply cease to exist. Drawn from the comprehensive and well-reviewed Silicon Heterostructure Handbook, this volume covers SiGe circuit applications in the real world. Edited by John D. Cressler, with contributions from leading experts in the field, this book presents a broad overview of the merits of SiGe for emerging communications systems. Coverage spans new techniques for improved LNA design, RF to millimeter-wave IC design, SiGe MMICs, SiGe Millimeter-Wave ICs, and wireless building blocks using SiGe HBTs. The book provides a glimpse into the future, as envisioned by industry leaders.