The effect of thermal shunt on the current instability of multiple-emitter-finger heterojunction bipolar transistors

1 January 1993

conference paper
Published by Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)

p. 253-256
https://doi.org/10.1109/bipol.1993.617510

Abstract

The occurrence of thermally-induced current instability in multi-emitter-finger heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) is described. An equivalent thermal circuit is used to model the effect of thermal shunt on this current instability. It is shown that the thermal shunt is superior to the ballast resistor for improving power characteristics, without sacrificing microwave performance. An HBT implementing the thermal shunt technique has demonstrated a microwave power density of more than 10 mWspl mu/m/sub 2/ of emitter area.

Keywords

HETEROJUNCTION BIPOLAR TRANSISTORS

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