On noise sources in hot electron-degraded bipolar junction transistors

Abstract

The effects of electrical stress on static characteristics and power spectral density, SIb, of base current, Ib, fluctuations at low frequencies, f<1 kHz, have been studied in quasiself-aligned bipolar n-p-n junction. In as-fabricated devices SIb∝1/AE, where AE is the transistor emitter area, whereas in strongly degraded transistors Sib∝1/PE, where PE is the transistor perimeter. The latter demonstrates directly that hot carrier-induced noise sources are generated at the periphery of the transistors, in agreement with former work on hot electron-induced aging of bipolar junction transistors.