Investigation of the lock-layer transistor structure

The characteristics of prototype lock-layer transistors were investigated. For most applications, a lock-layer transistor can be viewed as a merged cascade configuration of two conventional transistors, a bipolar transistor and a junction field effect transistor. For some applications, a lock-layer transistor has unique characteristics. The primary advantage provided by a lock-layer transistor as compared to most other conventional bipolar junction transistors is the combination of high current-gain values with large common emitter breakdown voltage. In the ordinary high gain or super beta transistor, breakdown voltage is drastically degraded. A subsidiary advantage is freedom from the early effect, which causes the conventional transistor to exhibit sloping output characteristics; the lock-layer transistor's output characteristics are almost parallel to the voltage axis.