High performance bipolar devices with plurality of base contact regions formed around the emitter layer

A transistor having a base region, an emitter region and a collector region, said transistor further comprising:

• a substrate;
• an insulating layer disposed above said substrate, said insulating layer having a discontinuity therein, said base region residing within said discontinuity in said insulating layer;
• a unitary base contact structure in electrical contact with said base region, said unitary base contact structure at least partially surrounding three sides of said emitter region, said base contact structure having at least three planar legs, said at least three planar legs being electrically connected, each planar leg of said at least three planar legs being adjacent to a different side of said emitter region;
• a first planar leg of said at least three planar legs of said unitary base contact structure being disposed at least partially above said base region;
• and
• a second planar leg of said at least three planar legs of said base contact structure being disposed completely above said insulating layer so as not to reside over said base region.

A transistor having a base region, an emitter region and a collector region, said transistor further comprising:

• a first metallization layer including a unitary base contact structure, said unitary base contact structure being electrically connected to said base region, and said unitary base contact structure at least partially surrounding three sides of said emitter region and having at least two contact pads on an upper surface thereof;
• a second metallization layer disposed above said first metallization layer, said second metallization layer having a first post electrically coupled to a first contact pad of said at least two contact pads of said unitary base contact structure;
• and
• an insulating layer disposed over a second contact pad of said at least two contact pads of said unitary base contact structure to electrically insulate said second contact pad of said unitary base contact structure.

A transistor having a base region, an emitter region and a collector region, said transistor further comprising:

• an emitter contact structure disposed above, and electrically connected to, said emitter region;
• a unitary base contact structure partially disposed above, and electrically connected to, said base region, said unitary base contact structure at least partially surrounding said emitter contact structure, and said unitary base contact structure having a plurality of planar legs, said plurality of planar legs being electrically interconnected;
• a first contact pad integral with said unitary base contact structure and positioned within a first planar leg of said plurality of planar legs of said unitary base contact structure;
• and
• a second contact pad integral with said unitary base contact structure and positioned within a second planar leg of said plurality of planar legs of said unitary base contact structure, wherein electrical connection to said first contact pad facilitates a first contact layout and electrical connection to said second contact pad facilitates a second contact layout, said first contact layout and said second contact layout being different contact layouts viewed from a plan view of said transistor.