Cathodoluminescence investigation of stress-induced beryllium outdiffusion in AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs

In this study cathodoluminescence spectroscopy has been used for the first time in order to detect the base dopant outdiffusion induced by current stress in AlGaAs/GaAs Be-doped HBTs. The results provide evidence for base dopant diffusion along the growth direction of the HBT structure and suggest that the REID mechanism may be responsible. Therefore, cathodoluminescence can be used as a nondestructive technique to study beryllium outdiffusion.