Performance and Reliability Tradeoffs of Power Amplifier Cells Using High-Performance and Medium Breakdown SiGe HBTs

IF 2.9 2区工程技术 Q2 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices Pub Date : 2025-02-21 DOI:10.1109/TED.2025.3540762

Harrison P. Lee;Nelson E. Sepúlveda-Ramos;Jeffrey W. Teng;John D. Cressler

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Abstract

In this work, the reliability and performance characteristics of silicon–germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor (SiGe HBT) cascode amplifier cells are investigated. In particular, this study investigates the tradeoffs of using transistors scaled for maximum performance or for increased breakdown voltage in the common-base stage of the cascode. The cascode structures are investigated for their dc operating limits, as well as their small- and large-signal performance, and their electrical reliability. Simulations and measurements are performed to determine how to minimize the performance tradeoffs and maximize the reliability improvement of each device type. It is shown that the difference in peak unity cutoff frequency (

${f}_{T}$

) is much smaller between the high-performance (HP) and medium breakdown (MB) cascodes than for the individual devices, and that biasing the collector–base (CB) device past its base current reversal point further increases

${f}_{T}$

of the cell by 10% or more. Reliability data show that more reliable cascode cell depends on the biasing condition and load line of the cell. Overall, results show that bias and load line can be changed to improve both the performance and reliability of cascode cells.

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来源期刊

IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 工程技术-工程：电子与电气

CiteScore

5.80

自引率

16.10%

发文量

937

审稿时长

3.8 months

期刊介绍： IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices publishes original and significant contributions relating to the theory, modeling, design, performance and reliability of electron and ion integrated circuit devices and interconnects, involving insulators, metals, organic materials, micro-plasmas, semiconductors, quantum-effect structures, vacuum devices, and emerging materials with applications in bioelectronics, biomedical electronics, computation, communications, displays, microelectromechanics, imaging, micro-actuators, nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, power ICs and micro-sensors. Tutorial and review papers on these subjects are also published and occasional special issues appear to present a collection of papers which treat particular areas in more depth and breadth.