A comparison of etched-geometry and overgrown silicon permeable base transistors by two-dimensional numerical simulations

Etched-geometry and overgrown Si permeable base transistors (PBT's) are compared by using two-dimensional numerical simulations. Because of the asymmetry of the etched structure, two biasing conditions are possible (etched-collector and etched-emitter) and both are considered. The base-to-collector transfer characteristics of PBT devices have two regions of operation. At low base-to-emitter voltages, barrier-limited current flow is observed, The two-dimensional nature of the depletion region near the Schottky-contact base grating results in a smaller electron barrier and thus a larger collector current in the etched structures than in the overgrown structure. At high base-to-emitter bias levels, charge is limited from entering the base region of the etched-emitter structure and from leaving the base region of the etched-collector device. The resulting parasitic feedback effects lead to a deviation from the square-law behavior found in the collector characteristics of the overgrown PBT. Because of the absence of semiconductor material directly above the base grating lines in the etched devices, these structures have lower device capacitances. They also have smaller transconductances at high base-to-emitter voltages. The important consequence of this is that overgrown and etched structures have comparable predicted maximum values of the small-signal unity short-circuit current-gain frequency and maximum frequency of oscillation. Fabrication-related effects are discussed qualitatively and GaAs PBT operation is considered in light of the present simulations.