High speed GaAs ICs (Integrated Circutis) using FETs (Field Effect Transistors) are reported. As the fabricating techniques, ion implantation processes for both 0.5 µm and 0.2 µm gate FETs using W/Al refractory metal and 0.2 µm recessed gate process with MBE grown epitaxial wafers are shown. These fabrication processes are selected depending on the circuit speed and the integration level. The outline of the circuit design and the examples of ICs, which are developed for 10 Gb/s optical communication systems, are also shown with the obtained characteristics.

A film carrier with 48 peripheral-contacts, which is applicable to ultra-high speed GaAs digital integrated circuits (ICs) with a more than 10 Gbps operation, has been developed. The film carrier has been realized using the following newly developed techniques; (1) wave guides with a well-controlled characteristic impedance of 50 Ω, (2) precise vias of as small as 50 µm diameter conducting both sides of grounded metal planes on a polyimide film, and (3) a feed-through structure for high speed input signals with good impedance matching. The film carrier was molded by resin after ILB (inner lead bonding) to a chip with a copper plate heat spreader. As an application, the film carrier has been applied to a 3 Gbps operational 4-bit GaAs multiplexer IC, and has been proved to have excellent high-frequency characteristics.