Thermal distribution during a current gain collapse event is investigated in multi-finger InGaP/GaAs HBTs using the transient interferometric mapping method. The onset of the collapse is observed at time of about 1ms in devices with a low emitter ballasting resistance R E , while for HBTs with a high R E , the current is distributed equally over the fingers. 3D thermal simulation supports the results and allows an estimation of temperature at which the collapse occurs.
I. INTRODUCTIONThe self-heating effect is recognized as one of the major factor limiting the performance of heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. In multifinger devices when a critical temperature is reached, the equal current distribution over the fingers can be unstable against a small temperature fluctuation and the current flow over the fingers can become inhomogeneous. The hottest fingers carry the most of the current (current crunching) inducing a positive feedback effect, which may be dangerous. The effect manifests itself as a decrease in the collector current causing a drop in current gain, hence the "gain collapse" effect. Electrical experiments and thermal analysis have been performed under the DC or transient conditions [1][2][3][4]7]. Thermal observations from the device top side under the DC conditions have been performed by infrared (black-body) thermometry [1]. However there is a lack of data of direct observation of the phenomenon under the transient conditions. On the other hand, it has been found that the proper increase in the emitter ballasting resistance [12] and optimization of thermal design [11] can decrease the HBT susceptibility to gain collapse, by keeping acceptable performances.In this paper we use the transient interferometric mapping (TIM) method [14] for the thermal imaging of multifinger InGaP/GaAs HBTs prior and at the onset of the gain collapse. Devices with a high and low R E are investigated.