Bulk Silicon-Germanium Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor Process Feature Implications for Single-Event Effects Analysis and Charge Collection Mechanisms

Abstract

Silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor (SiGe HBT) BiCMOS technology is recognized by the space electronics community for its potential to transform high-speed microelectronic applications by monolithic incorporation of low-power complementary metal oxide semiconductor logic with high-speed SiGe HBT building blocks. However, SiGe HBTs suffer from a low single-event upset threshold and a large saturated cross section, two traits that make them liabilities for use in space-base applications.

The deep trench isolation, n+ subcollector, and lightly-doped p-type substrate are the dominant SiGe HBT process features that influence single-event effects. These features control the single-event upset response as well as single-event current induction. This work presents a single-event rate prediction model for SiGe HBTs that takes these features into account as well as the first complete collection of measured wide bandwidth single-event current transients, including pulsed laser, heavy ion microbeam, and heavy ion broadbeam radiation sources. These transient data confirm important single-event upset mechanisms and provide a calibration baseline for future transient experiments and simulations.