RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF SELF-ALIGNED BIPOLAR TRANSISTOR UNDER FORWARD ACTIVE CURRENT STRESS.

The effects of forward active current stress on the electrical characteristics of self-aligned bipolar transistors are reported. The dominant emitter-base junction degradation appears to be due to interface-state generation underneath the side wall oxide. The leakage current increase in the collector mainly results from electron trapping at the field-oxide/silicon interface. Electromigration at the contact was identified to be the cause of increased collector resistance on those devices without adequate reach-through postimplant annealing treatment.