Method for recovery of hot carrier induced degradation in bipolar devices

• Main Authors: YANG, ZHIJIAN J, WANG, PING CHUAN, GUARIN, FERNANDO, HOSTETTER, J. EDWIN, RAUCH, STEWART E
• Format: Patent
• Language: Chinese; English
• Published: 21.08.2012
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

A method for recovery of degradation caused by avalanche hot carriers is provided that includes subjecting an idle bipolar transistor exhibiting avalanche degradation to a thermal anneal step which increases temperature of the transistor thereby recovering the avalanche degradation of the bipolar transistor. In one embodiment, the annealing source is a self-heating structure that is a Si-containing resistor that is located side by side with an emitter of the bipolar transistor. During the recovering step, the bipolar transistor including the self-heating structure is placed in the idle mode (i.e., without bias) and a current from a separate circuit is flown through the self-heating structure. In another embodiment of the present, the annealing step is a result of providing a high forward current (around the peak fT current or greater) to the bipolar transistor while operating below the avalanche condition (VCB of less than 1 V). Under the above conditions, about 40% or greater of the degradation can be recove