InP-based AlInAs/GaAs0.51Sb0.49/GaInAs single heterojunction bipolar transistor for high-speed and RF wireless applications

The InP-based AlInAs-GaAsSb-GaInAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) have been grown by solid-source molecular-beam epitaxy (SSMBE). Since the AlInAs-GaAsSb heterojunction has a type-II (staggered) band lineup, the conduction-band discontinuity is negligible at 300 K (10 meV). Thus, the turn-on voltage is significantly lower than that of an AlInAs-GaInAs HBT even without compositional grading of the emitter-base junction. A self-aligned process was used to fabricate large area devices. The measured turn-on voltage and collector-emitter offset were 0.36 V and 0.23 V, respectively, with a DC gain of approximately 25 and ideality factors of ηC = 1.01 and ηB = 1.1 at JC = 10 kA/cm2 collector-current density.

Duke Scholars

Author April S. Brown Electrical and Computer Engineering