The redistribution of Zn in the base region of GaAs‐AlGaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor structures during growth by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy has been examined with respect to the presence of Si doping in the emitter‐contact, emitter, and collector/subcollector layers, and as a function of Zn doping concentration and Si counterdoping level in thep+base. For a growth temperature of 675 °C the Zn shows no significant redistribution up to concentrations of 3×1019cm−3without Si doping. The addition of Si to the adjacent AlGaAs emitter and collector/subcollector layers causes substantial diffusion of Zn from the base, while Si doping of the GaAs emitter contact results in even greater Zn redistribution. Under these conditions, the Zn concentration in the base attains a maximum value of ∼7×1018cm−3. Silicon counterdoping in the base region retards the Zn diffusion, while strain introduced by an InGaAs cap layer has no effect on the Zn redistribution.