Dual approach for bipolar transistor thermal impedance determination

• Published in: Microelectronics Vol. 41; no. 9; pp. 554 - 559
• Main Authors: Sommet, R., Xiong, A., de Souza, A.A.L., Quere, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: 3D finite element simulation; Bipolar transistors; Devices; Distributed electrothermal model; Heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT); Impedance; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Model order reduction (MOR); Semiconductor devices; Thermal impedance measurement; Thermal simulation; Three dimensional; 3D finite element simulation; Heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT); Model order reduction (MOR); Distributed electrothermal model; Thermal impedance measurement
• ISSN: 1879-2391; 0026-2692; 1879-2391
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mejo.2010.04.008

This paper presents a dual approach for a coherent determination and validation of heterostructure bipolar transistor (HBT) thermal impedance. This study relies both on an experimental characterization method and a 3D finite element simulation approach. One section reminds briefly the experimental approach. Another describes the 3D device modeling used for the physics-based thermal simulation. Thereafter, details on the reduction method used for the numerical computation of the thermal impedance are given. As complement to pure thermal simulation, an electrothermal distributed model is proposed and gives an interpretation of the distributed effects in multi-finger devices.