Influence of concurrent electrothermal and avalanche effects on the safe operating area of multifinger bipolar transistors

Luigi La Spina; Vincenzo d'Alessandro; Salvatore Russo; Niccolò Rinaldi; Lis K. Nanver

doi:10.1109/TED.2008.2011574

Influence of concurrent electrothermal and avalanche effects on the safe operating area of multifinger bipolar transistors

Luigi La Spina^*, Vincenzo d'Alessandro, Salvatore Russo, Niccolò Rinaldi, Lis K. Nanver

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

The impact of the concurrent action of electrothermal and avalanche effects on the reduction of the safe operating area is experimentally investigated for a wide number of single-, two-, and three-finger bipolar transistors fabricated in SiGe, GaAs, and silicon-on-glass technologies. The results of the analysis are substantiated by a SPICE-like simulation tool that allows the monitoring of the temperatures of the individual fingers and provides an in-depth understanding of the individual influence of the positive feedback mechanisms. Design strategies for minimizing the effects on device operation, like the implementation of ballasting resistors and emitter segmentation, are also analyzed.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	483-491
Number of pages	9
Journal	IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
Volume	56
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2008.2011574
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2009

Keywords

Avalanche effect
Ballasting resistors
Bipolar junction transistor (BJT)
Breakdown voltage
Electrothermal effects
Emitter ballasting
Emitter segmentation
Heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT)
Impact ionization (II)
Multifinger transistor
Safe operating area (SOA)
Self-heating
Silicon-on-glass (SOG)
Thermal coupling
Thermal instability
Thermal resistance

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10.1109/TED.2008.2011574

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title = "Influence of concurrent electrothermal and avalanche effects on the safe operating area of multifinger bipolar transistors",

abstract = "The impact of the concurrent action of electrothermal and avalanche effects on the reduction of the safe operating area is experimentally investigated for a wide number of single-, two-, and three-finger bipolar transistors fabricated in SiGe, GaAs, and silicon-on-glass technologies. The results of the analysis are substantiated by a SPICE-like simulation tool that allows the monitoring of the temperatures of the individual fingers and provides an in-depth understanding of the individual influence of the positive feedback mechanisms. Design strategies for minimizing the effects on device operation, like the implementation of ballasting resistors and emitter segmentation, are also analyzed.",

keywords = "Avalanche effect, Ballasting resistors, Bipolar junction transistor (BJT), Breakdown voltage, Electrothermal effects, Emitter ballasting, Emitter segmentation, Heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), Impact ionization (II), Multifinger transistor, Safe operating area (SOA), Self-heating, Silicon-on-glass (SOG), Thermal coupling, Thermal instability, Thermal resistance",

author = "{La Spina}, Luigi and Vincenzo d'Alessandro and Salvatore Russo and Niccol{\`o} Rinaldi and Nanver, {Lis K.}",

year = "2009",

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AU - La Spina, Luigi

AU - d'Alessandro, Vincenzo

AU - Russo, Salvatore

AU - Rinaldi, Niccolò

AU - Nanver, Lis K.

PY - 2009/1/1

Y1 - 2009/1/1

N2 - The impact of the concurrent action of electrothermal and avalanche effects on the reduction of the safe operating area is experimentally investigated for a wide number of single-, two-, and three-finger bipolar transistors fabricated in SiGe, GaAs, and silicon-on-glass technologies. The results of the analysis are substantiated by a SPICE-like simulation tool that allows the monitoring of the temperatures of the individual fingers and provides an in-depth understanding of the individual influence of the positive feedback mechanisms. Design strategies for minimizing the effects on device operation, like the implementation of ballasting resistors and emitter segmentation, are also analyzed.

AB - The impact of the concurrent action of electrothermal and avalanche effects on the reduction of the safe operating area is experimentally investigated for a wide number of single-, two-, and three-finger bipolar transistors fabricated in SiGe, GaAs, and silicon-on-glass technologies. The results of the analysis are substantiated by a SPICE-like simulation tool that allows the monitoring of the temperatures of the individual fingers and provides an in-depth understanding of the individual influence of the positive feedback mechanisms. Design strategies for minimizing the effects on device operation, like the implementation of ballasting resistors and emitter segmentation, are also analyzed.

KW - Avalanche effect

KW - Ballasting resistors

KW - Bipolar junction transistor (BJT)

KW - Breakdown voltage

KW - Electrothermal effects

KW - Emitter ballasting

KW - Emitter segmentation

KW - Heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT)

KW - Impact ionization (II)

KW - Multifinger transistor

KW - Safe operating area (SOA)

KW - Self-heating

KW - Silicon-on-glass (SOG)

KW - Thermal coupling

KW - Thermal instability

KW - Thermal resistance

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JO - IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices

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ER -

Influence of concurrent electrothermal and avalanche effects on the safe operating area of multifinger bipolar transistors

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Keywords

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