Degradation of bipolar junction transistors under dynamic high current stress and biased in open-collector condition

Abstract

The reliability of bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) at high current densities is an important issue and requires detailed study. In the past, there have been studies on the effect of d.c. high current stress on the BJT current-voltage characteristics, but there is no report on the effect of dynamic high current stress on the BJT I- V characteristics. In this paper, we study experimentally the degradation of metal-emitter Si n- p- n and p- n- p bipolar junction transistors under dynamic high current stress and biased in open collector condition. Reduction and increase of base current at low bias voltage with increasing stress time have been found. Decrease of base and collector currents at high bias in n- p- n BJTs was found only after a large stress time has elapsed.