Device-to-circuit interactions in SiGe technology: Challenges and opportunities

The tight coupling between the nuanced physics of silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and the circuits in which they are utilized in many ways represents the “final frontier” for research in technology optimization, device physics, compact modeling, circuit design, and system implementations. As relevant examples of the inherent complexities associated with such “device-to-circuit interactions” within the SiGe world, I examine two distinct scenarios: 1) Our ability to accurately predict the end-of-life reliability of actual SiGe HBT circuits; and 2) Our ability to mitigate transient radiation effects in SiGe HBT circuits. In each example, I address the scope of the problem, the challenges faced in trying to solve them, and the opportunities presented if and when that success comes.