Title :
Unconditionally thermally stable cascode GaAs HBTs for microwave applications
Author :
Bayraktaroglu, Burhan ; Salib, Mike
Author_Institution :
Northrop Grumman Corp., Baltimore, MD, USA
fDate :
7/1/1997 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The authors describe the performance of a thermally stabilized cascode-heterojunction bipolar transistor (TSC-HBT) that exhibits unconditional thermal stability without the use of ballast resistors. A thermal isolation inserted between the current source (CE stage) and the power stage (CB stage) eliminates the positive electrothermal feedback that causes thermal runaway in bipolar transistors. The TSC-HBT cell designs with fmax values in excess of 100 GHz demonstrated about 300% improvement in DC power dissipation capability compared to conventional cascode HBTs in a direct comparison
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; bipolar MMIC; circuit stability; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; microwave bipolar transistors; thermal stability; 100 GHz; GaAs; GaAs HBT; MMIC applications; heterojunction bipolar transistor; microwave applications; thermal isolation; thermally stable cascode HBTs; unconditional thermal stability; Bipolar transistors; Electronic ballasts; Feedback; Fingers; Gallium arsenide; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Resistors; Temperature; Thermal resistance; Voltage;
Journal_Title :
Microwave and Guided Wave Letters, IEEE
