Numerical simulation of self-heating InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

Abstract

We numerically simulate effects of the self-heating on the current-voltage characteristics of InGaP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs). A set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) of the equivalent circuit of HBT is formed and solved numerically in the large-signal time domain. We decouple the corresponding ODEs using the waveform relaxation method and solve them with the monotone iterative method. The temperature-dependent energy band gap, the current gain, the saturation current, and the thermal conductivity are considered in the model formulation. The power-added efficiency and the 1-dB compression point of a three-finger HBT are calculated. This approach successfully explores the self-heating and the thermal coupling phenomena of the three-finger transistors under high power and high frequency conditions. The numerical algorithm reported here can be incorporated into electronic computer-aided design software to simulate ultra-large scale integrated and radio frequency circuits.