Abstract: Structure and fabrication details are disclosed for AlGaAs/GaAs microwave HBTs having improved thermal stability during high power operation. The use of a thermal shunt joining emitter contacts of a multi-emitter HBT is shown to improve this thermal stability and eliminate "current-crush" effects. A significant reduction in thermal resistance of the disclosed devices is also achieved by spreading the generated heat over a large substrate area using thermal lens techniques in the thermal shunt. These improvements achieve thermally stable operation of AlGaAs/GaAs HBTs up to their electronic limitations. A power density of 10 mW/.mu.m2 of emitter area is achieved with 0.6 W CW output power and 60% power-added efficiency at 10 GHz. The thermal stabilization technique is applicable to other bipolar transistors including silicon, germanium, and indium phosphide devices.

Abstract: A small sized energy conveying and signal dissipating loading apparatus for use in the testing of a transistor of the high gain high frequency type is disclosed. The energy conveying and loading device of the invention employs a transmission line-like network of distributed components in order to roll off and dampen or dissipate the high frequency alternating current response of the transistor under test while also being electrically invisible for measuring the low frequency or DC characteristics of the transistor under test. The described energy communicating and loading apparatus is compatible with the temperatures of a test environment for even the most extreme environment transistor devices and allows convenient placement in the test environment immediately adjacent the transistor under test. The load allows testing of multiple transistor devices with reasonable space and cost requirements.