Performance and analysis of the plasma bipolar junction transistor: Control of the surface electrical properties

A new configuration of plasma bipolar junction transistor (PBJT) based on an epitaxial wafer has been designed and fabricated. Its electrical properties and the collector plasma densities are characterized using electrical and optical methods. Using this device as a platform, coupling of the electron-ion plasma (gas phase plasma) and the electron-hole plasma (semiconductor) in terms of secondary electron ejection into the gas phase was investigated experimentally and theoretically. Ion-assisted electronic reactions occur at the plasma/semiconductor interface and their overall contribution to regulating the coupling effect was formulated and evaluated. This work demonstrated that the electrical properties of a semiconductor surface can be controlled via means of a pn junction, whether interfaced with another solid state (to form a bipolar junction transistor) or a gas (to form a plasma bipolar junction transistor). This control ability is manifest in the resultant transistor domain as variable current small signal gain. The plasma and semiconductor interface can be further engineered to alter the electrical properties and thus change the resultant transistor behavior. A PBJT with a black silicon interface was designed and characterized. The application of the black silicon PBJT as a burst mode digital transistor was demonstrated experimentally.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Electrical & Computer Engr

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Li, Benben

Contributors dc:contributor

• Eden, James G.
• Coleman, James J.
• Carney, Paul S.
• Cunningham, Brian T.
• Ruzic, David N.

• plasma bipolar junction transistor
• microplasma
• plasma transistor
• plasma/semiconductor interface

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2012 Benben Li

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/34458

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/34458