Breakdown voltage limitations, impact ionization, and interband tunneling in InP/GaAsSb/InP type-II NpN DHBTs

Author

Bolognesi, C.R. ; Watkins, S.P. ; Moll, N.

Author_Institution

Compound Semicond. Device Lab., Simon Fraser Univ., Burnaby, BC, Canada

fYear

2003

fDate

8-10 Dec. 2003

Abstract

We investigate the breakdown limitations of staggered ("type-II") lineup InP/GaAsSb/InP N-p-N double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBTs). These devices generally feature an abnormally low open-emitter BV/sub CBO/ despite the low electron impact ionization coefficient for electrons in the InP collector layer. We show that the high apparent BV/sub CEO//BV/sub CBO/ ratio can be associated with the onset of interband (Zener) tunneling across the narrow energy gap interface layer arising from the staggered band alignment at the reverse biased GaAsSb-InP base-collector heterojunction. We also demonstrate that InP/GaAsSb DHBTs can be operated above BV/sub CEO/ (and the apparent BV/sub CBO/), and up to voltages approaching the impact ionization limited BV/sub CBO/.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; Zener effect; gallium compounds; heterojunction bipolar transistors; impact ionisation; indium compounds; semiconductor device breakdown; tunnelling; InP-GaAsSb; Zener tunneling; breakdown voltage limitations; double heterojunction bipolar transistors; electron impact ionization coefficient; interband tunneling; narrow energy gap interface layer; open-emitter voltage; reverse biased base-collector heterojunction; staggered lineup bipolar transistors; type-II NpN DHBT; Bipolar transistors; Breakdown voltage; Double heterojunction bipolar transistors; Electric breakdown; Electrons; Impact ionization; Indium phosphide; Laboratories; Semiconductor devices; Tunneling;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Electron Devices Meeting, 2003. IEDM '03 Technical Digest. IEEE International

Conference_Location

Washington, DC, USA

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7872-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IEDM.2003.1269381

Filename

1269381