Modulation-doped Si0.8Ge0.2 pMOSFETs have been successfully fabricated through a well-controlled boron delta-doping (doses of 1 x 10(12)-5 x 10(12) cm(-2)) by reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition, and their DC and RF characteristics have been investigated. It is seen that the modulation doping, which shifts the hole gas from the Si-cap/ Si0.8Ge0.2 interface to the centrum of the Si0.8Ge0.2 quantum well, effectively improves the device's transconductance (g(m)), driving-current, cut-off frequency (f(T)), and gate-voltage swing, without a degradation in devices' turn-off characteristics. In addition, a reduction in NFmin is observed in the modulation-doped Si0.8Ge0.2 pMOSFETs, responsible for the increased g(m) and the reduced gate capacitance. The 1/f noise in Si0.8Ge0.2 pMOSFETs is also proven to be lower than that of the Si control, regardless of modulation doping. This device design is well suitable for high-speed and low-noise applications. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.