GaAs/Al/sub 0. 3/Ga/sub 0. 7/As, heterojunction bipolar transistors for high-temperature (T > 300/sup 0/C), power electronic applications

Conference · Wed Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6473646

Zipperian, T E; Brennan, T M; Hammons, B E

Solid-state devices formed from compound semiconductor materials like GaAs, GaP, SiC, and (Al,Ga)As have long been viewed as candidates for use in electronic circuits functioning at temperatures greater than 300/sup 0/C. To address the specific needs of power semiconductor devices operating simultaneously at high currents, voltages, and high temperatures, heterojunction devices formed from combinations of GaAs and (Al,Ga)As have recently been proposed. These novel heterojunction structures display reduced resistive and voltage parasitics when compared to wide-bandgap GaP or SiC, homojunction diodes without seriously compromising control of thermally generated leakage currents. In this study, a prototype, low-power, (Al,Ga)As/GaAs, heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) is described which has demonstrated excellent electrical characteristics in the 300 to 400/sup 0/C temperature range. At 350/sup 0/C, the HBT has a common-emitter current gain of 14 (V/sub CE/ = 5V, I/sub C/ = 10 mA) and collector-base leakage of 6.4 x 10/sup -2/ A/cm/sup 2/ (V/sub CB/ = 5 V).

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6473646
• Report Number(s): SAND-87-1632C; CONF-870679-1; ON: DE87011320
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360603 -- Materials-- Properties
42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HETEROJUNCTIONS
JUNCTIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
TRANSISTORS