Thermalelectro-feedback model for multi-emitter finger power heterojunction bipolar transistor. Part I: Temperature profile

Poor thermal conductivity of GaAs, a self-heating phenomenon which results in the rapid rise of device temperature, is the major factor that limits and even degrades the electrical performance of GaAs-based heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) operated at high power densities. On the basis of this consideration, a numerical model is presented to study the interaction mechanism between the thermal and electrical behavior of AlGaAs/GaAs HBT with multiple-emitter fingers. The model mainly comprises a numerical model applicable for multi-finger HBT that solves the three-dimensional heat transfer equation. The device design parameters that influence the temperature profile and current distribution of the device are identified, and optimization concerning the device performance is made.