Leakage currents, surface current and 1/f noise in planar bipolar transistors

Using arguments based on the d.c. equivalent circuit of a planar bipolar transistor, it is shown that the ratio ICEO/ICBO is a measure of the significance of surface recombination current. Measurements of 1/f noise and ICEO/ICBO for a variety of transistors provide new evidence that the 1/f noise is due to the surface recombination current.