Agilent Technologies' simulation model selected by NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices for GaAs HBT development

HBT model shortens design cycle of high-frequency ICs

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 9, 2005

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices Ltd. has selected the Agilent heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) model as its standard simulation model for high-frequency gallium arsenide (GaAs) HBT development. The Agilent HBT model, developed for use with Agilent's Advanced Design System (ADS) electronic design automation (EDA) software, provides greater accuracy and improved convergence over other available HBT models. It reduces design turns and shortens the design cycle of high-frequency integrated circuits for applications such as power amplifiers for wireless handsets and wireless local area networks.

Agilent's HBT model was designed specifically for GaAs and indium phosphide (InP) processes used in high-frequency design, and supports both single and double heterojunctions. The new model is based on research originally performed by a working group led by the University of California at San Diego for a GaAs physics-based model known as the DARPA/UCSD HBT model. Agilent engineers developed an integrated nonlinear transit-time and charge storage formulation for the model, removed discontinuities and integrated the new model into its Advanced Design System EDA software. The result is an enhanced HBT model for high-frequency circuit design that provides the unsurpassed accuracy and an increase in successful simulations due to improved convergence.

In the past, there was no suitable model available for large-signal, non-linear circuit simulation using high-frequency compound semiconductor devices such as GaAs and InP. Designers had to use existing silicon bipolar junction transistor (Si BJT) models, such as the Vertical Bipolar Inter-Company (VBIC) and Gummel-Poon models. Using these models resulted in limited simulation accuracy and fabrication and device measurement iterations, increasing development time and expense.

"The Agilent HBT model accurately matched the measured results for power-added efficiency and gain compression, even when applied to a 30dBm-class power-amplifier design," said Naotaka Iwata, project manager with the Compound Semiconductor Department, NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices. "This model will allow us to accurately perform adjacent channel power ratio simulation in combination with other circuit blocks in our designs. As a result, we expect to achieve maximum performance for the devices we design."

"It was important for NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices to be able to accurately simulate not just the single transistor but the whole power amplifier module when designing the latest power amplifiers for cellular phones," said Neil Martin, marketing and services manager for Agilent's EEsof EDA division. "I am very pleased that the Agilent HBT model is meeting our customers' requirements and contributing to NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices' product performance."

NEC Compound Semiconductor Devices first evaluated the model by extracting the Agilent HBT model based on measurements from the company's own GaAs process. The evaluation confirmed that the non-linear simulation results of high-frequency, large-signal power amplifiers matched the measured results, and they chose to adopt the model.

Additional information about Agilent's EDA products and applications is available at www.agilent.com/find/eesof.

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global technology leader in communications, electronics, life sciences and chemical analysis. The company's 28,000 employees serve customers in more than 110 countries. Agilent had net revenue of $7.2 billion in fiscal year 2004. Information about Agilent is available on the Web www.agilent.com.

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Contact:

Janet Smith
+1 970 679 5397
janet_smith@agilent.com