Investigation of the Impact of Hot-Carrier-Induced Interface State Generation on Carrier Mobility in nMOSFET

Abstract

A comprehensive investigation on the hot-carrier-induced interface state generation and its impact on carrier mobility in nMOSFET is performed. I-V compact modeling and charge pumping (CP) characterization are used as independent ways to evaluate the interface state density as a function of hot-carrier-induced aging. From the two techniques, similar power-law time exponents of the interface state density kinetics are obtained. Assisted by the quasi-spectroscopic(temperature-resolved) CP-measurement, the extracted interface state density is further correlated with the I-V modeling results: an universal mobility degradation normalization parameter N-it,N- ref = similar to 4.1 x 10(11)/cm(2) is reported, irrespective of the effective oxide thickness (EOT), stress temperature, or the relative degradation of the device under test (DUT). Supported by the fundamental principles deployed in the derivation and the broad range of experimental conditions considered for its validation, the reported normalization parameter could serve as a modeling constant in the commonly used I-V compact models to correlate the mobility degradation with the interface state density induced by hot carrier stress.