AlGaAs/GaAs pnp heterojunction bipolar transistor with carbon-doped collector and emitter grown by atomic layer epitaxy

The first AlGaAs/GaAs pnp heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) grown entirely by atomic layer epitaxy (ALE) is reported. Carbon was used as the p-type dopant in the emitter and collector. The use of carbon, with its low diffusivity and the potential for very heavy doping, will lead to reduced emitter and collector resistances in a pnp structure. For the devices reported here, a common emitter current gain over 100 was obtained, with good I/V characteristics.