Title :
Double-polysilicon self-aligned SiGe HBT architecture based on nonselective epitaxy and polysilicon reflow
Author :
Mertens, H. ; Magnée, P. H C ; Donkers, J.J.T.M. ; van Dalen, R. ; Brunets, I. ; Van Huylenbroeck, S. ; Vleugels, F. ; Vanhoucke, T.
Author_Institution :
NXP Semicond. Res., Leuven, Belgium
fDate :
Sept. 30 2012-Oct. 3 2012
Abstract :
This paper describes a self-aligned SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) based on a standard double-polysilicon architecture and nonselective epitaxial growth (i.e. DPSA-NSEG). Emitter-base self-alignment is realized by polysilicon reflow in a hydrogen ambient after emitter window patterning. The fabricated self-aligned SiGe HBTs, with emitter widths of 0.3-0.4 μm, exhibit 20% lower base resistance and 15% higher maximum oscillation frequency fmax than non-self-aligned reference devices. The minimum noise figure of a Ku-band low-noise amplifier is reduced from 0.9 to 0.8 dB by emitter-base self-alignment.
Keywords :
BiCMOS integrated circuits; Ge-Si alloys; epitaxial growth; heterojunction bipolar transistors; low noise amplifiers; microwave amplifiers; oscillations; semiconductor epitaxial layers; semiconductor growth; Ku-band low-noise amplifier; SiGe; double-polysilicon self-aligned HBT architecture; emitter window patterning; emitter-base self-alignment; hydrogen ambient; lower base resistance; maximum oscillation frequency; noise figure; nonselective epitaxial growth; nonselective epitaxy; nonself-aligned reference devices; polysilicon reflow; self-aligned heterojunction bipolar transistor; size 0.3 mum to 0.4 mum; standard double-polysilicon architecture; Annealing; Epitaxial growth; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Hydrogen; Resistance; Silicon; Silicon germanium; Silicon bipolar/BiCMOS process technology; heterojunction bipolar transistor;
Conference_Titel :
Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM), 2012 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Portland, OR
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4673-3020-6
DOI :
10.1109/BCTM.2012.6352615
