The influence of BF2 and F implants on the 1/f noise in SiGe HBTs with a self-aligned link base

A study is made of 1/f noise in SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) fabricated using selective growth (SEG) of the Si collector and nonselective growth (NSEG) of the SiGe base and Si emitter cap. The transistors incorporate a self-aligned link base formed by BF ₂ implantation into the field oxide below the p⁺ polysilicon extrinsic base. The influence of this BF₂ implant on the 1/f noise is compared with that of a F implant into the polysilicon emitter. Increased base current noise S_IB and base current are seen in transistors annealed at 975°C, compared with transistors annealed at 950 or 900°C. At a constant collector current, both the BF₂ and F implants reduce S_IB, whereas at a constant base current, only the BF₂ implant reduces S_IB. This result indicates that the BF₂ implant decreases the intensity of the base current noise source whereas the F implant decreases the base current. The proposed explanation for the increased 1/f noise is degradation of the surface oxide by viscous flow at 975°C under the influence of stress introduced during selective Si epitaxy. The influence of the BF₂ implant on the noise is explained by the relief of the stress and hence the prevention of viscous oxide flow