Intel Corporation
Epitaxially fabricated heterojunction bipolar transistors

Abstract:

Techniques are disclosed for forming a heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) that includes a laterally grown epitaxial (LEO) base layer that is disposed between corresponding emitter and collector layers. Laterally growing the base layer of the HBT improves electrical and physical contact between electrical contacts to associated portions of the HBT device (e.g., a collector). By improving the quality of electrical and physical contact between a layer of an HBT device and corresponding electrical contacts, integrated circuits using HBTs are better able to operate at gigahertz frequency switching rates used for modern wireless communications.