Nonlinear GaAs MESFET modeling using pulsed gate measurements

Abstract

The effects of traps in GaAs MESFETs are studied using a pulsed gate measurement system. The devices are pulsed into the active region for a short period (typically 1 mu s) and are held in the cutoff region for the rest of a 1-ms period. While the devices are on, the drain current is sampled and a series of pulsed gate I-V curves are obtained. The drain current obtained under the pulsed gate conditions for a given V/sub GS/ and V/sub DS/ gives a better representation of the instantaneous current for a corresponding V/sub gs/ and V/sub ds/ in the microwave cycle because of the effects of traps. The static and pulsed gate curves were used in a nonlinear time-domain model to predict harmonic current. The results showed that analysis using pulsed gate curves yielded better predictions of harmonic distortion than analysis based on conventional state I-V curves under large-signal conditions.