Thermal feedback in power semiconductor devices

Thermal feedback (TF) is an important aspect for the thermal management of semiconductor devices and high-power density integrated circuits. Different features of positive and negative TF in transistors are reviewed and summarized for the macroscopic domain. The thermal feedback mechanism is applied to the microscopic domain of noise fluctuations in semiconductor devices. It is argued that TF may be responsible for a major part of 1/fflicker or excess noise. Some experimental evidence is presented which supports this thermal feedback 1/f-noise theory for bipolar and MOS field effect transistors. Device and circuit design rules for the minimization of transmitter noise are given.