Motorola 2N5160 PNP RF Transistors: new-old-stock, medium old stock, fake stock?

Some of the 1980s, 1990s pulse and signal generators use push-pull power amp stages to provide output levels of +-10 V into 50 Ohms, and similar. These are often discrete circuits, utilizing PNP-NPN small power transistors. While the NPN types are still widely available, there used to be some shortages of 2N5160 PNP transistors. Recently, there are are many offers for “Motorola” branded parts, with datecodes from about 1998 (K98xx) to about 2004 (K04xx). In contrast to the earlier Motorola parts (Rxxxx date codes), these have shiny cases. It is quite unlikely that Motorola actually manufactured RF metal can transistors in 2004… (1999 onwards, Motorola no longer made transistors, but transferred the business to ON Semiconductors).

Strangely, the cans have “KOREAN” stamped into them, in various styles and sizes. Would a fake producer have stock of many different kinds of fake cans? Or did ON Semi produce these parts with some existing stock from the 1990s? Many semiconductor producers actually have decade old wafers in stock that they package whenever there is a need.

Let’s have a closer study. Unfortunately, no electron microscope here. But we do our best. Here the die of the defective HP branded original Motorola part. Red arrow shows the burn mark, defect area.

I sacrificed one of the 0.7 USD suspicious parts with K0439 datecode. To my great surprise, they are exactly identical in die, bonding method, and die attachment method.

A quick function test – put the new K0439 date code 2N5190 into an 5 MHz power amplifier. And working just great at >20 dB gain and about 1 Watt output.

Further, we study the collector-base capacitance, at -28 Volts bias U_CB (note that some datasheets specify “28 Volts U_CB” but this won’t work with a PNP transistor – it is conducting like a diode in C-B, if the collector is positive vs. base).

A test with the trusty HP 4192A, and 2.5 pF measures. Exactly the typical value. Also checked one of the certainly genuine Rxxxx date code transistors, and this measured at about 2.7 pF.

Test done at 1 MHz, and calibrated the 4192A with open and short.

So far, so good. All I can say is that these transistors are good 2N5160, whoever made them.

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