Millimeter wave receivers incorporating the highest quality Schottky barrier diodes presently utilize whisker contacted devices. The advent of millimeter wave integrated circuitry and planar array receivers underscores the requirement of a whiskerless, planar Schottky barrier device. At present, commercial manufacturers have produced whiskerless devices which have far less than optimum electrical characteristics. Research during the past year at the University of Virginia has resulted in the design and fabrication of a novel whiskerless Schottky diode with excellent DC and RF characteristics. The object of this proposed research is to continue work on the whiskerless Schottky barrier mixer diode for use at and above 100 GHz signal frequency which will have electrical characteristics, including parastic element values, as near as possible to those theoretically predicted. This research program will consist of a joint effort between the University of Virginia's Semiconductor Device Laboratory and the Fort Monmouth Electronic Technology and Devices Laboratory. It will involve optimization of device design and fabrication technology utilizing the MBE, electron beam mask generation ion implantation, and facilities at Fort Monmouth and the existing processing technologies and processing equipment at the University of Virginia. This project will involve 1 Masters student for a period of 1 year.
