Claiming a transit frequency (Ft) of 350-GHz, IBM's SiGe transistor is said to be nearly 300% faster than today's devices, and 65% faster than previously reported ICs. The transistor also outperforms other compound semiconductors, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium phosphide (InP), according to the company.

IBM claims it has demonstrated the new SiGe-based transistor, but the technology is still in the R&D phase. The company expects its transistor technology will be in production in the 2005 to 2006 time frame.

But still, the company's transistor is a "building block" that will lead to a new class of communication chips, which will operate at speeds of more than 150-GHz. The device will enable new and advanced applications, such as automotive radar collision systems, high-performance local-area networks, and other products, said Ron Soicher, director of strategic business development within the Technology Group at IBM Microelectronics, based in East Fishkill.

The new transistor technology is a "major accomplishment," Soicher declared. "With this transistor, we can also extend our lead in silicon germanium," he said in an interview with SBN.

IBM--the acknowledged pioneer and leader in SiGe--has been offering this process technology on a foundry and standard product basis over the last several years. But the company hopes to maintain its leadership position in SiGe, in an effort to stay one step ahead of the competition.

Recently, for example, several IC makers have also entered the SiGe market, such as Agere, Atmel, Conexant, Infineon, Maxim, Motorola, SiGe Semiconductor, Texas Instruments, and others. And in September, Intel Corp. announced plans to offer its initial SiGe process at the 90-nm node (see Sept. 15 story ).

Even the pure-play silicon foundries have or will offer SiGe processes, including Chartered Semiconductor Manufacturing Pte. Ltd., Communicant Semiconductor Technologies AG, Jazz Semiconductor Inc., and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

The SiGe market is expected to grow from $320 million in terms of sales in 2001, to about $2.7 billion by 2006, according to IC Insights. The Scottsdale, Ariz.-based market research firm also estimates that IBM accounted for more than 80% of the total SiGe business in 2001.

SiGe no longer a niche

SiGe is also poised to displace the competing compound technologies, such as GaAs and InP. "Silicon germanium is no longer a niche market," Soicher said. "SiGe has also cut into the GaAs business. In fact, GaAs has been relegated to niche applications. We will also compete very well against InP," he said.

Indeed, SiGe has come a long way in a short time. In 1989, IBM introduced an improvement to bulk silicon, by adding germanium to boost transistor speeds. The technology turned out to be ideal for communications-oriented applications, such as radio-frequency (RF), wide-area networks (WANs), and others.

At present, IBM is in production with a SiGe process technology called "SiGe 7HP." The 0.18-micron process operates at speeds of 110-GHz. IBM manufactures SiGe-enabled chips based on this process at its wafer fab in Burlington, Vt.

Last year, the company announced development of a new SiGe transistor, which is capable of reaching speeds of 210-GHz. Called "SiGe 8HP," the process is 0.13-micron technology (see June 25, 2001 story ).

But IBM received some new competition last year, when Conexant Systems Inc. disclosed what that company claimed was the world's fastest SiGe process. Conexant's SiGe200 process technology is said to support transit frequencies equal to 200-GHz and power maximum frequencies of 180-GHz (see Dec. 4, 2001 story ).

IBM claims it is still far ahead of the competition--in both current and future processes. "We're in early development with 'SiGe 8HP," Soicher said. "We expect commercialization of the technology within the next 12 to 15 months."

And its new 350-GHz process leapfrogs the competition, said Bernard Meyerson, IBM Fellow and chief technologist within IBM's Technology Group. "SiGe is imperative for true system-on-chip designs that pull together standard logic circuitry and higher-speed wireless communications circuitry," he said in a statement. "And while others are introducing their first versions, this is IBM's fifth generation of SiGe technology."

IBM will present details of the technology in a paper on the technology at the International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM). The conference will be held in San Francisco from Dec. 9-11.