Off-campus UMass Amherst users: To download dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your UMass Amherst user name and password.
Non-UMass Amherst users, please click the view more button below to purchase a copy of this dissertation from Proquest.
(Some titles may also be available free of charge in our Open Access Dissertation Collection, so please check there first.)
The study of slow wave characteristics of planar transmission lines on semiconductors
Abstract
At radio or microwave frequencies, signal transmission phenomena in semiconductor devices or circuits need to be explained with electromagnetic wave theory. Metallic lines and structures made on semiconductors are within this category of circuits. A very distinctive property of metallic structures on doped semiconductor substrate is the possibility of having high dispersion and high loss. In some cases, significant slow-wave propagation occurs. Therefore it is very important to fully understand these phenomena when semiconductor devices and circuits are designed to operate at very high speed or at very high frequencies. There exist many analysis techniques for these metallic structures. They differ in the underlying assumptions and the levels of complexity. There are also different ranges of structures and frequencies to which they are applicable. In this dissertation, a simple and accurate method based on Galerkin's procedure in the Fourier transformed domain is developed. This solution includes most aspects of the physical properties of metallic transmission structures on semiconductor wafers, such as small line widths and multi-layered media. Hence this analysis technique is valid not only for a wide range of geometries and frequencies, but also applicable to many modern device and circuit designs. Experimental work has been carried out and compared with theoretical studies. As a result of this accurate, new technique, there exist many potential applications. Among them are optimization of monolithic slow-wave phase shifters, microwave characterization of the gate electrode of field-effect transistors, and analysis of interconnection delay of a digital integrated circuit. A chapter of this dissertation is devoted to the discussion of these applications.
Subject Area
Electrical engineering
Recommended Citation
Liou, Jenn-Chorng, "The study of slow wave characteristics of planar transmission lines on semiconductors" (1990). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9110176.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9110176