Distributed-Channel Bipolar Device: Experimentation, Analytical Modeling and Applications.

Experimental results and theoretical modeling for four terminal distributed channel bipolar devices (DCBD) are presented. The DCBD device is comprised of an interwoven BJT and MOSFET. The device may be characterized as a MOSFET with a bipolar transistor source distributed under the MOSFET channel. Alternatively, the device may be represented as a BJT where a MOSFET channel provides the current collection function. The physical layout of the device is that of a n-channel MOSFET placed above a p-Si epitaxial base region which was grown on an n^+-Si substrate emitter. Distributed electronic behavior exhibits itself through self-biasing influences of the channel-collected current on the channel-base junction bias. For appropriate biasing, the MOSFET channel divides itself into two regions exhibiting forward active and saturation BJT behavior. Both experimental results and theoretical modeling are provided. Experimental results for "large area" rectangular gate, circular gate and trapezoidal gate DCBD are reported. The experimental results exhibit the transconductance threshold voltage, beta fall off and transconductance fall-off features reported previously by others. A "large area" trapezoidal gate structure is incorporated to illustrate the gate area influences on the electrical characteristics and to provide a model sensitive structure for evaluating the validity of the theory developed in the dissertation. An analytical model based on conventional MOSFET and bipolar theories is developed. The analytical model is applied to the large gate area devices (example: 0.127 mm rectangular gate length) and smaller dimensional gate devices down to 0.9 micron rectangular gate length. The theoretical results show good agreement with the large gate area experimental results. Application examples are provided. The use of the base current invariant transconductance threshold voltage as a reference voltage is discussed. Comparison of the transconductance threshold voltage reference with a bandgap reference voltage for circuit applications is included. Computations confirm that, in a strain gauge application, the DCBD can provide sensitivity and dynamic range improvements over reported conventional piezoresistive strain gauge based accelerometers. Theoretical results for accelerometer applications in the micro-G and higher-G ranges are reported. A discussion on the limitations of the theory is provided.