Current-crowding effect in diagonal MOSFET's

• Published in: IEEE electron device letters Vol. 14; no. 6; pp. 289 - 291
• Main Authors: Hwang, H., Shin, H., Kang, D.-G., Ju, D.-H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-06-1993; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Capacitors; CMOS process; Current measurement; Degradation; Electronics; Etching; Exact sciences and technology; Implants; MOSFET circuits; Random access memory; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Simulated annealing; Stress; Transistors; Field effect transistor; Random access memory(RAM); Deterioration; Complementary MOS technology; Dynamical storage; Impact ionization; Reliability; Capacitor; Electrical characteristic
• ISSN: 0741-3106; 1558-0563
• DOI: 10.1109/55.215201

Electrical and reliability characteristics of diagonally shaped n-channel MOSFETs have been extensively investigated. Compared with the conventional device structure, diagonal MOSFETs show longer device lifetime under peak I/sub sub/ condition (V/sub g/=0.5 V/sub d/). However, in the high-gate-bias region (V/sub g/=V/sub d/), diagonal MOSFETs exhibit a significantly higher degradation rate. From the I/sub sub/ versus gate voltage characteristics, this larger degradation rate under high gate bias is concluded to be due mainly to the current-crowding effect at the drain corner. For a cell-transistor operating condition (V/sub g/>V/sub d/), this current-crowding effect in the diagonal transistor can be a serious reliability concern.< >