Power amplifier modules including tantalum nitride terminated through wafer via and related systems, devices, and methods

A power amplifier module comprising:

• a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor on a front side of a semiconductor substrate and a field effect transistor on the front side of the semiconductor substrate, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a collector layer of a semiconductor material, and the field effect transistor including a semiconductor portion of the semiconductor material corresponding to a channel of the field effect transistor;
• a through wafer via extending through the semiconductor substrate and having a tantalum nitride termination on the front side of the semiconductor substrate;
• and
• a conductive layer on a back side of the semiconductor substrate, the conductive layer being electrically connected to the power amplifier by way of a metal layer in the through wafer via.

A power amplifier module comprising:

• a power amplifier configured to amplify a radio frequency signal, the power amplifier including a heterojunction bipolar transistor on a front side of a gallium arsenide substrate and a p-type field effect transistor on the front side of the gallium arsenide substrate, the heterojunction bipolar transistor including a collector layer of p-type gallium arsenide and an emitter, and the p-type field effect transistor including a p-type gallium arsenide portion corresponding to a channel of the p-type field effect transistor;
• a ground plane on a back side of the gallium arsenide substrate that is opposite the front side of the gallium arsenide substrate;
• and
• a through wafer via extending through the gallium arsenide substrate, the through wafer via having a copper layer therein and a tantalum nitride termination on the front side of the gallium arsenide substrate, the emitter of the heterojunction bipolar transistor being electrically connected to the ground plane by way of the copper layer.