Forward-bias stress effects on BJT gain and noise characteristics

Author

Sun, C. Jack ; Grotjohn, T.A. ; Huang, C.-J. ; Reinhard, D.K. ; Yu, C.-C.W.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI, USA

Volume

41

Issue

5

fYear

1994

fDate

5/1/1994 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

787

Lastpage

792

Abstract

The effect of large current forward-bias stress on bipolar transistor gain and noise characteristics was investigated. The combination of high currents and high temperatures produced gain degradations or failures of transistors from three technologies. Similarly the application of high currents and high temperatures produced changes in transistor noise characteristics. Specifically, in all transistors stressed, the low-frequency noise initially decreased. It was also observed in two technologies that the noise eventually increased again as the stress continued. Electromigration induced stress is believed to play an important role in these phenomena. The third technology eventually showed failures of the transistors due to electromigration produced open circuits

Keywords

bipolar transistors; electromigration; failure analysis; reliability; semiconductor device noise; BJT gain; LF noise; bipolar transistor; electromigration induced stress; electromigration produced open circuits; failures; forward-bias stress effects; gain degradations; high temperatures; large current forward-bias stress; low-frequency noise; noise characteristics; Circuits; Compressive stress; Current density; Degradation; Electromigration; Low-frequency noise; Noise level; Sun; Temperature; Testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9383

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/16.285032

Filename

285032