Reliability of GaInP/GaAs HBTs for Power Applications

摘要

A reliable HBT process has been developed for the very demanding operating conditions required for high power X-Band applications. Due to its intrinsic qualities this process can naturally also be used for other applications, including low-frequency amplifiers for mobile communications, low phase-noise oscillators or mixed-signal circuits for optical communications. The process is based on commercial GaInP-emitter structures, and the fabricated device life-time has been extensively tested. Aging tests on power devices at Tj=250℃ and Jc=40kA.cm-2 are still running after 3000 hours without degradation. A conservative extrapolation with an activation energy of 1eV yields an MTF above 1 million hours for Tj=125℃ and Jc = 20kA.cm-2..