Title :
An improved heterostructure-emitter bipolar transistor (HEBT)
Author :
Liu, Wen-Chau ; Lour, Wen-Shiung
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. Eng., Nat. Cheng-Jung Univ., Tainan, Taiwan
Abstract :
An N-Al/sub 0.5/Ga/sub 0.5/As/n-GaAs heterostructure-emitter bipolar transistor (HEBT), grown by MBE, has been fabricated with improved performance. The Al/sub 0.5/Ga/sub 0.5/As layer with higher valence-band offset Delta E/sub v/ offers better confinement of minority carriers (holes). A small offset voltage of about 80 mV and a high common-emitter current gain of 180 were measured for large-area devices. On the other hand, the adequate design of an n-GaAs emitter layer also plays an important role in device performance. The strongly knee-shaped characteristics and reachthrough effect were observed in those devices fabricated with 12 a thin n-GaAs emitter layer.<>
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; molecular beam epitaxial growth; semiconductor growth; 80 mV; Al/sub 0.5/Ga/sub 0.5/As-GaAs; HEBT; MBE; common-emitter current gain; heterostructure-emitter bipolar transistor; knee-shaped characteristics; large-area devices; minority carrier confinement; n-GaAs emitter layer; offset voltage; reachthrough effect; valence-band offset; Bipolar transistors; Carrier confinement; Doping; Energy consumption; Gallium arsenide; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Microwave devices; P-n junctions; Student members; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
