Collector/emitter offset voltage in double-heterojunction bipolar transistors

Abstract

Double-heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBT) can exhibit a large collector/emitter offset voltage at zero collector current which will adversely affect digital switching circuits. It is shown that this effect results from insufficient grading at the base/collector heterojunction. A GaAlAs/GaAs DHBT grown by MBE having a 130 Å compositional grading at the emitter/base and base/collector junction showed no sign of the collector/emitter offset voltage.