A novel InP/InAlGaAs negative-differential-resistance heterojunction bipolar transistor (NDR-HBT) with interesting topee-shaped current-voltage characteristics

Author

Liu, Wen-Chau ; Wang, Wei-Chou ; Chen, Jing-Yuh ; Pan, Hsi-jen ; Cheng, Shiou-Ying ; Thei, Kong-Beng ; Chang, Wen-Lung

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. Eng., Nat. Cheng Kung Univ., Tainan, Taiwan

Volume

20

Issue

10

fYear

1999

Firstpage

510

Lastpage

513

Abstract

A new and interesting negative-differential-resistance heterojunction bipolar transistor (NDR-HBT) based on the InP/InAlGaAs material system is fabricated successfully and demonstrated. Due to the employment of narrow base and /spl delta/-doped sheet at the emitter-base (E-B) heterojunction, the significant and interesting topee-shaped current-voltage (I-V) characteristics are observed in the low current regime. A peak-to-valley current ratio (PVCR) up to 11 in the NDR loci is found. In the higher current regimes, on the other hand, NDR phenomena disappear and the device acts as a normal bipolar transistor. These interesting properties are believed to be attributed mainly to the modulation of potential spike resulting from the specified device structure.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; indium compounds; negative resistance devices; semiconductor device measurement; /spl delta/-doped sheet; InP/InAlGaAs NDR-HBT; NDR loci; emitter-base heterojunction; low current regime; narrow base; negative-differential-resistance heterojunction bipolar transistor; peak-to-valley current ratio; potential spike modulation; topee-shaped I-V characteristics; topee-shaped current-voltage characteristics; Bipolar transistors; Employment; Epitaxial growth; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Indium phosphide; Logic devices; Microwave devices; Military communication; Sheet materials; Substrates;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Electron Device Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0741-3106

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/55.791926

Filename

791926