High current effects in bipolar epitaxial transistors

Using an analytical approach involving various approximations, Bowler and Lindholm have suggested that high current operation of epitaxial transistors may be characterized in terms of a critical voltage Vcritand a critical current Icrit. The present paper reports on a detailed computer study of high current operation: (a) assuming one-dimensional flow both above and below Vcrit, and (b) including two-dimensional effects such as emitter crowding. Measured results are also presented.