ABSTRACT
MESFETs exhibit a unique set of device characteristics that are potentially desirable for extreme environment electronics. Chief among them are high-voltage capability, wide temperature operation, low input capacitance, and depletion mode behavior. Additionally, they have a natural tolerance to radiation as a result of having a Schottky gate. While the inability to integrate with CMOS has traditionally prevented MESFETs from being used in integrated circuits [1–3], it is no longer an issue, as outlined in Chapter 23. Again, the breakthrough came about by utilizing the silicide block layer to pattern the gate and access regions and by taking advantage of the self-aligned silicide (salicide) step to form a nearly ideal Schottky gate contact over a lightly doped n-well or p-well region. That has enabled cost-free Si-MESFETs to be available on any SOS or SOI CMOS process with no changes to the process [4].
