InGaP HBT technology for RF and microwave instrumentation

Low, Thomas; Shirley, Tim; Hutchinson, C.P.; Essilfie, G.K.; Whiteley, W.C.; Yeats, B.; D'Avanzo, D.C.

doi:10.1016/s0038-1101(99)00086-6

Cited by 17 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Carbon is the preferred dopant in heavily p-type III-V base layers (∼4 × 10 19 cm −3 ) because of its low diffusivity [1]. Even higher levels of reliability and improved performance in GaAs-based HBTs can be achieved by replacing AlGaAs with larger energy-gap InGaP as the emitter material [2,3].…”

Section: Introduction: Band-gap Engineering the Hbt Base Layermentioning

confidence: 99%

Minority carrier properties of carbon-doped GaInAsN bipolar transistors

Welser

Setzko

Stevens

et al. 2004

J. Phys.: Condens. Matter

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We have developed an InGaP/GaInAsN/GaAs double heterojunction bipolar transistor technology that substantially improves upon existing GaAs-based HBTs. Band-gap engineering with dilute nitride GaInAsN alloys is utilized to enhance a variety of key device characteristics, including lower operating voltages, improved temperature stability and increased RF performance. Furthermore, GaInAsN-based HBTs are fully compatible with existing highvolume MOVPE and IC fabrication processes. While poor lifetimes have limited the applicability of dilute nitride materials in photovoltaic applications, we achieve minority carrier characteristics that approach those of conventional GaAs HBTs. We have found that a combination of growth algorithm optimization and compositional grading are critical for improving minority carrier properties in GaInAsN. In this work, we characterize the impact of both carbon and nitrogen doping on minority carrier lifetimes in GaInAsN base layers. Minority carrier lifetimes are extracted from direct measurements on bipolar transistor device structures. Specifically, lifetime is derived from the DC current gain, or β, taken in the bias regime dominated by neutral base recombination. Lifetimes extracted using this technique are observed to be inversely proportional to both carbon and nitrogen doping. As with conventional C-doped GaAs HBTs, current soaking (i.e. burn-in) is found to have a significant impact on GaInAsN HBTs. While we can replicate poor as-grown lifetimes consistent with those reported in photovoltaic dilute nitride materials, our best material to date exhibits nearly 30× higher lifetime after current soaking.

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Section: Introduction: Band-gap Engineering the Hbt Base Layermentioning

confidence: 99%

Minority carrier properties of carbon-doped GaInAsN bipolar transistors

Welser

Setzko

Stevens

et al. 2004

J. Phys.: Condens. Matter

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“…The GaAs/AlGaAs and InP/InGaAsP heterostructures are the basis of most modern compound semiconductor electronic and photonic devices. [1][2][3][4][5] In particular, devices such as high electron mobility transistors ͑HEMTs͒ and heterojunction bipolar transistors ͑HBTs͒ rely on the ability to selectively etch one component of the heterostructure over the other in applications such as microwave power amplifiers and low noise amplifiers. Further requirements for this etching are vertical sidewalls and minimal surface disruption.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Planar Inductively Coupled BCl[sub 3] Plasma Etching of III-V Semiconductors

Lim

Baek

Lee

et al. 2004

J. Electrochem. Soc.

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Both Ga-based ͑GaAs, AlGaAs͒ and In-based ͑InGaP, InP, InAs, and InGaAsP͒ compound semiconductors were etched in a planar inductively coupled plasma ͑ICP͒ reactor in pure BCl 3 . The Ga-based materials etched at significantly higher rates, as expected from the higher volatilities of their trichloride etch products relative to InCl 3 . In contrast to the more common cylindrical geometry ICP sources, the dc self-bias which controls ion energy is not strongly dependent on source power up to ϳ400 W while etch rates increase rapidly over this power range. The source tunes easily even at very low powers ͑Ͻ100 W͒ but operates inefficiently above ϳ10 mTorr, with a marked decrease in both emission intensity from the discharge and in resulting etch rates of the compound semiconductors. The etched surfaces of both AlGaAs and GaAs have comparable root-mean-square roughness and similar stoichiometry to the unetched control samples, while the surfaces of In-based materials are degraded by the BCl 3 etching.The GaAs/AlGaAs and InP/InGaAsP heterostructures are the basis of most modern compound semiconductor electronic and photonic devices. [1][2][3][4][5] In particular, devices such as high electron mobility transistors ͑HEMTs͒ and heterojunction bipolar transistors ͑HBTs͒ rely on the ability to selectively etch one component of the heterostructure over the other in applications such as microwave power amplifiers and low noise amplifiers. 6-28 Further requirements for this etching are vertical sidewalls and minimal surface disruption. The latter involves both the lattice damage created by ion bombardment and any changes in stoichiometry. High density plasmas have proven attractive for these applications, with the ability to control both ion density and ion energy. [8][9][10][11][12][13] A key point that emerged from past studies with both electron cyclotron resonance ͑ECR͒ and cylindrical geometry inductively coupled plasma ͑ICP͒ etching of these heterostructures is that significant damage can be created even at moderate source powers ͑300-500 W͒, 12,16,18 so it is essential to develop high density sources that can operate efficiently over a broad range of powers and be usable over a continuous range of conditions. Our initial experience with planar ICP sources is that they are continuously tunable at low powers ͑0-200 W͒ and therefore offer a versatile range of operating conditions for applications from through-wafer vias to low damage mesa formation.In this paper we describe the results of etching GaAs, AlGaAs, InP, InGaP, InAs, and InGaAsP in a planar ICP tool with a single BCl 3 chemistry. The system appears well suited to patterning of GaAs/AlGaAs at room temperature, producing clean, vertical profiles. ExperimentalGaAs, InP, and InAs wafers were cut from Czochralski-grown boules and were nominally undoped with ͑100͒ orientation in all cases. The In 0.5 Ga 0.5 P and Al 0.2 Ga 0.8 As were grown lattice-matched to GaAs substrates by either metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy ͑MOMBE͒ or metalorganic chemical vapor deposition ͑...

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Physics and Modeling of Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors

Reisch

2003

High-Frequency Bipolar Transistors

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InGaP HBT technology for RF and microwave instrumentation

Cited by 17 publications

References 6 publications

Minority carrier properties of carbon-doped GaInAsN bipolar transistors

Minority carrier properties of carbon-doped GaInAsN bipolar transistors

Planar Inductively Coupled BCl[sub 3] Plasma Etching of III-V Semiconductors

Physics and Modeling of Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors

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