BASE COMPOSITION EFFECTS STUDY ON NBR CURRENT AND CURRENT GAIN IN SiGe HBT

Abstract

In present study, SiGe Hetero-junction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs) performances are discussed based on both TCAD and analytical evaluations of the heavily doped base. It is demonstrated that neutral base recombination (NBR) current has significant effects on base current and hence current gain. An optimized Ge profile for 20 nm wide base of understudy structure, with 16% Germanium at EB edge and 24% at CB edge is concluded analytically, which improves DC and high frequency behavior. TCAD simulations reveal that for the specific structure and proposed profile, current gain is about 3500. It also exhibits ft and f max about 325 GHz and 192 GHz, respectively. In the next section for the first time, a comprehensive study of early voltage variation based on total Ge content and Ge grading in base is also presented. Forced base-emitter voltage and forced base current configurations are studied separately. NBR current has been analyzed under two different configuration and prospective guidelines are indicated.