2.1.3 Future

Today's GaAs RF components are an indispensable part of all major new applications in wireless communication. They are not intended as a substitute for Si RF devices, but instead represent a valuable supplement covering about 15-20% of RF applications. The GaAs technology contributes to major system innovations in mobile telephones, satellite communication, short-haul communication as well as traffic security. The vision of a universal wireless personal communication system, combining PC, telephone, fax, e-mail, and also TV, will become reality in the very near future. All such applications require high-grade RF components in Si and GaAs materials. GaAs will dominate in applications which require very low noise figure, high linearity, and most importantly, very good PAE at low supply voltages (3V and below).

RF CMOS technology, whose transistors have 80 GHz $f_{\mathrm{T}}$'s using 0.12-micron geometries, is currently seen as a better platform for integration than SiGe, whose $f_{\mathrm{T}}$'s are only 50-70 GHz. However, the recent advances of the SiGe technology are projecting its very promising future.

InP technology already starts to address not only military, but commercial applications showing an unprecedented performance [31]. Although the actual operating speeds of fiber-optic data links can be satisfied using GaAs technology, InP HBTs are the preferred solution for future generations up to 100 Gb/s [32].