A silicon germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor device and method comprises a semiconductor region, and a diffusion region in the semiconductor region, wherein the diffusion region is boron-doped, wherein the semiconductor region comprises a carbon dopant therein to minimize boron diffusion, and wherein a combination of an amount of the dopant, an amount of the boron, and a size of the semiconductor region are such that the diffusion region has a sheet resistance of less than approximately 4 Kohms/cm.sup.2. Also, the diffusion region is boron-doped at a concentration of 1.times.10.sup.20/cm.sup.3 to 1.times.10.sup.21/cm.sup.3. Additionally, the semiconductor region comprises 5 25% germanium and 0 3% carbon. By adding carbon to the semiconductor region, the device achieves an electrostatic discharge robustness, which further causes a tighter distribution of a power-to-failure of the device, and increases a critical thickness and reduces the thermal strain of the semiconductor region.