High power bipolar transistor with emitter current density limiter
US6465804B1 · kind B1 · utility
24Cited by
3References
10Claims
0Family size
Assignee
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Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 10, 2000 |
| Grant date | Oct 15, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 10, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D10/881
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) having an emitter structure capable of reducing the current crowding effect and preventing thermal instabilities is disclosed, wherein a negative differential resistance. (NDR) element is added to the layer structure of the conventional emitter. In accordance with the invention, the NDR element can be implemented, for example, by a Resonant Tunnel Diode (RTD) or an Esaki Diode structure. The NDR element is designed to limit the tunneling current to the maximal emitter current density required for safe transistor operation, thereby also reducing the current crowding effect.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.