Breakdown-speed considerations in AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors with special collector designs

Author

Chau, Hin-Fai ; Hu, Juntao ; Pavlidis, Dimitris ; Tomizawa, Kazutaka

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng. & Comput. Sci, Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI, USA

Volume

39

Issue

12

fYear

1992

fDate

12/1/1992 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2711

Lastpage

2719

Abstract

The breakdown-speed tradeoffs of AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs with special collector designs are presented. Monte Carlo techniques and 1-D drift-diffusion modeling are used for speed and breakdown simulation, respectively. Base current reversal is indicative of breakdown and is used in conjunction with the (breakdown voltage/total transit time) figure of merit in order to set up HBT performance criteria. Conventional (n^-) and inverted field (p^-) collectors show a good speed-breakdown compromise over a limited collector current density. Equally good characteristics but over a broader current range can be obtained from collector launcher (δn ⁺-n^--δp⁺) HBTs. Undoped collector HBTs (i-δp⁺) operate best at low currents. Overall, the use of special collector structures does not always guarantee the best speed-breakdown performance

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; Monte Carlo methods; aluminium compounds; electric breakdown of solids; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; semiconductor device models; δn⁺-n^--δp⁺; 1D model; AlGaAs-GaAs; HBT performance criteria; Monte Carlo techniques; base current reversal; breakdown simulation; breakdown voltage; breakdown-speed tradeoffs; collector current density; collector designs; collector launcher; drift-diffusion modeling; figure of merit; heterojunction bipolar transistors; inverted field type; n^--type; total transit time; undoped collector; Breakdown voltage; Current density; Doping; Electric breakdown; Electrons; Gallium arsenide; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Laboratories; Monte Carlo methods; Solid state circuits;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9383

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/16.168753

Filename

168753