Temperature-dependent study of a lattice-matched InP/InGaAlAs heterojunction bipolar transistor

In this work, we report the temperature-dependent characteristics of a new InP/InGaAlAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT). In order to improve the dc performance of conventional InGaAs-based single HBTs, the quaternary In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.34/Al/sub 0.13/As with a wider bandgap is employed as the material for both the base and collector layers. Experimentally, the studied device exhibits a relatively high common-emitter breakdown voltage and low output conductance even at high temperature. Based on the breakdown mechanism of avalanche multiplication, the negative temperature dependence of breakdown voltage is attributed to the positive temperature-dependent impact ionization coefficient. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of current gain is investigated and reported. It is believed that the suppression of hole injection current with decreasing temperature is responsible for the opposite variation of current gains at high current levels.