Theory of channel hot-carrier degradation in MOSFETs

K. Hess, L. F. Register, W. McMahon, B. Tuttle, O. Aktas, U. Ravaioli, J. W. Lyding, I. C. Kizilyalli

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

A critical but still poorly understood process in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) is stress-induced changes in device threshold voltage, channel conductance, etc. which limit the operating lifetimes of the transistors. However, the degradation characteristics of deep-submicron MOSFETs, the widely demonstrated deuterium/hydrogen isotope effect, and the related results of scanning-tunneling microscopy-based depassivation experiments on silicon-vacuum interfaces are providing new insights into the degradation of MOSFETs via, at least, depassivation of the silicon-oxide interface. In this manuscript, we review the basic mechanisms of depassivation, suggest disorder-induced variations in the threshold energies for silicon-hydrogen/deuterium bond breaking as a possible explanation for observed sublinear time dependencies for degradation below t0.5, and show that excitation of the vibrational modes of the bonds could play a significant role in the continuing degradation of deep-submicron MOSFETs operated at low voltages.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)527-531
Number of pages5
JournalPhysica B: Condensed Matter
Volume272
Issue number1-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 1999
EventProceedings of the 1999 11th International Conference on Nonequilibrium Carrier Dynamics in Semiconductors (HCIS-11) - Kyoto, Jpn
Duration: Jul 19 1999Jul 23 1999

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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