Low-voltage hot-electron currents and degradation in deep-submicrometer MOSFETs

• Published in: IEEE transactions on electron devices Vol. 37; no. 7; pp. 1651 - 1657
• Main Authors: Chung, J.E., Jeng, M.-C., Moon, J.E., Ko, P.-K., Hu, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-07-1990; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Charge pumps; Current measurement; Degradation; Electronics; Electrons; Exact sciences and technology; Moon; MOSFETs; Power supplies; Power system modeling; Power system reliability; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Transistors; Voltage; Degradation; Field effect transistor; Submicrometer; Hot electron; Silicon; MOS transistor; Reliability; NMOS technology
• ISSN: 0018-9383; 1557-9646
• DOI: 10.1109/16.55752

Hot-electron currents and degradation in deep submicrometer MOSFETs at 3.3 V and below are studied. Using a device with L/sub eff/=0.15 mu m and T/sub ox/=7.5 nm, substrate current is measured at a drain bias as low as 0.7 V; gate current is measured at a drain bias as low as 1.75 V. Using the charge-pumping technique, hot-electron degradation is also observed at drain biases as low as 1.8 V. These voltages are believed to be the lowest reported values for which hot-electron currents and degradation have been directly observed. These low-voltage hot-electron phenomena exhibit similar behavior to hot-electron effects present at higher biases and longer channel lengths. No critical voltage for hot-electron effects (such as the Si-SiO/sub 2/ barrier height) is apparent. Established hot-electron degradation concepts and models are shown to be applicable in the low-voltage deep submicrometer regime. Using these established models, the maximum allowable power supply voltage to insure a 10-year device lifetime is determined as a function of channel length (down to 0.15 mu m) and oxide thicknesses.< >