Title :
Safe Operating Area of GaAs HBTs Based on Sub-Nanosecond Pulse Characteristics
Author :
Jin, Renfeng ; Chen, Cheng ; Halder, Subrata ; Curtice, Walter R. ; Hwang, James C M
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA, USA
Abstract :
Using a novel sub-nanosecond pulse current-voltage measurement technique, InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) were shown to survive strong impact ionization and to have a much larger safe operating area (SOA) than previously measured or predicted. As the result, an empirical model for impact ionization with both voltage and current dependence was extracted and added to a commercially available HBT model. The modified model could predict the HBT characteristics across the enlarged SOA, as well as the performance of ultra-wideband pulse generators and the ruggedness of continuous wave Class-C power amplifiers.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; electric current measurement; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; impact ionisation; indium compounds; power amplifiers; pulse generators; pulse measurement; voltage measurement; HBT model; InGaP-GaAs; SOA; continuous wave Class-C power amplifiers; current dependence extraction; heterojunction bipolar transistors; impact ionization; safe operating area; subnanosecond pulse current-voltage measurement technique; ultra-wideband pulse generators; voltage dependence extraction; Current measurement; Electric breakdown; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Pulse measurements; Semiconductor device measurement; Semiconductor optical amplifiers; Temperature measurement; Avalanche breakdown; heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT); impact ionization; microwave power amplifier; multiplication factor; safe operation area;
Journal_Title :
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMTT.2010.2086468