A model-based comparison of AlInAs/GaInAs and InP/GaInAs HBT´s: a Monte Carlo study

The high-speed performances of AlInAs/GaInAs and InP/GaInAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) are investigated using a one-dimensional self-consistent particle simulator. Optimum alloy compositions for a graded-gap base structure are obtained for both transistors through the tradeoff between the emitter-charging time and base transit time. The saturation velocity in the GaInAs n-type collector is found to be smaller than that in InP, which has been attributed to the diffusion of a large number of hot back-scattered Γ-valley electrons in the GaInAs collector. The difference in the collector transit time in p-type collectors is trivial, since the maximum electron velocity was restricted to below 1.2×10⁸ cm/s due to a strong nonparabolicity effect. The cutoff frequency for the former and the latter are estimated to be 2 and 1.5 times higher, respectively, than for AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs. These results are attributed to a larger bandgap difference between the emitter and base, to yield a high base built-in field, rather than a larger Γ-L band separation energy in the collector to enhance the velocity overshoot effect