EE105 Fall 2014

Microelectronic Devices and Circuits

Prof. Ming C. Wu
wu@eecs.berkeley.edu
511 Sutardja Dai Hall (SDH)

Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor

Model

BJT Unity-Gain and Beta-Cutoff Frequencies

The current gain of the transistor decreases as the
frequency increases and can be modeled by a single-pole
transfer function.
( s) =

The "beta-cutoff frequency" of

o
T
=
s + s +

the BJT is called f :

o
(-3 dB pt.)
2
The "unity-gain frequency" is
referred to as fT :
( j ) =

( jT ) = 1

(0 dB)

The two frequencies are related:

T = o
Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor
Model

Frequency-Dependent Transistor Models

Hybrid-Pi Model for the BJT
The frequency dependence of the
BJT in forward-active region can be
modeled by adding capacitors C
and C to the hybrid-pi model.

C models the change in base minority

carrier charge as the base-emitter voltage
of the transistor changes:
C = gm F

C is the capacitance of the

reverse-biased collector-base diode:
C =

where F is the forward base transit-time

of the transistor, the time a carrier takes
to cross the base region. For BJT,

Co
1+ (VCB jc )

F =

Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor

Model

Q WB2
=
,
iT 2Dn

where

WB is the base width,

Dn is the diffusion coefficient
3

Beta-cutoff Frequency () of BJT

We calculate the cutoff
frequency for the short-circuit
current gain using the circuit
model given here.

( s) = I c ( s) I b ( s)

The right-half plane transmission

zero Z = + gm/C occurring at high
frequency (above T) can be
neglected.

I c ( s ) = ( gm sC ) Vbe ( s )
Vbe ( s ) = I b ( s )

r
s (C + C ) r +1

( s)

1 sC gm
( s) = o
s (C + C ) r +1

Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor

Model

o
o
=
s (C + C ) r +1 ( s ) +1

where = 1/ r(C + C ) is the betacutoff frequency

4

Unity-gain Frequency (T) of BJT

We can rearrange the current
gain expression to expose the
unity-gain frequency T of the
transistor.

( s)

o
T
= o =
( s ) +1 s + s +

1
r (C + C )

T = o =
fT =
Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor
Model

gm
C + C

T
2

High-frequency Model for the MOSFET

At frequencies above dc, the input resistance and current
gain of the MOSFET is no longer infinite. The pi-model for the
MOSFET includes the gate-source and gate-drain capacitors
CGS and CGD.

2
CGS = CGC + CGSOW
3

CGD = CGDOW

Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor

Model

where

"
CGC = COX
WL

Unity-gain Frequency for the MOSFET

The short-circuit current gain and unity-gain frequency of the
MOSFET are calculated in a manner similar to the BJT.

( s) =

I d ( s)
I g ( s)

( s) =

"
Cgd %
gm
$1 s
'
s (CGS + CGD ) #
gm &

gm

( s)
= T
s (CGS + CGD ) s

Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor

Model

T =

gm
CGS + CGD
W
(VGS VTN ) 3 (VGS VTN )
L
= n
2
L2
(2 3) Cox" WL

nCox"

Limitations of High-frequency Models

Above 0.3 fT, behavior of simple pi-models begins to deviate
significantly from the actual device.
Also, T depends on operating current as shown below and is not
constant as assumed in the earlier slides.
For given BJT, a collector current ICM exists that yields fTmax.

For the FET in saturation, CGS and CGD are independent of Q-point
current, so
gm I
T
D
Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor
Model

Bipolar Transistor Model

Base Resistance rx

Base current enters the BJT

through the external base
contact and traverses a high
resistance region before
entering active area. Resistor rx
models the voltage drop
between the base contact and
the active area of the BJT.

Lecture16-High Frequency Transistor

Model