Title :
Reliability of a high performance monolithic IC fabricated using a production GaAs/AlGaAs HBT process
Author :
Yamada, F.M. ; Oki, A.K. ; Streit, D.C. ; Saito, Y. ; Coulson, A.R. ; Atwood, W.C. ; Rezek, E.A.
Author_Institution :
Electron. Syst. & Technol. Group, TRW Inc., Redondo Beach, CA, USA
Abstract :
We report the world´s first lifetest results of a monolithic integrated circuit fabricated using GaAs/AlGaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) technology. The Successive Detection Logarithmic Amplifier (SDLA) was used as the standard evaluation circuit (SEC) to evaluate the HBT process. Results of a three temperature constant stress lifetest projects a median-time-to-failure (MTF) of >10/sup 7/ hours at 125/spl deg/C junction temperature with an activation energy (Ea) of 1.4 eV and log-sigma (/spl sigma/) of 0.7. Failure criteria were based on RF and DC characteristics of the SDLA. Failure mode is also discussed. This study establishes GaAs/AlGaAs HBT technology as a mature and reliable process technology.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; bipolar analogue integrated circuits; failure analysis; gallium arsenide; heterojunction bipolar transistors; integrated circuit reliability; integrated circuit testing; intermediate-frequency amplifiers; life testing; production testing; DC characteristics; RF characteristics; activation energy; constant stress lifetest; failure criteria; median-time-to-failure; production HBT process; reliability; standard evaluation circuit; successive detection logarithmic amplifier; Gallium arsenide; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Integrated circuit reliability; Integrated circuit technology; Molecular beam epitaxial growth; Monolithic integrated circuits; Production; Silicon; Space technology; Temperature;
Conference_Titel :
Gallium Arsenide Integrated Circuit (GaAs IC) Symposium, 1994. Technical Digest 1994., 16th Annual
Conference_Location :
Phildelphia, PA, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1975-3
DOI :
10.1109/GAAS.1994.636983
