Title :
Dynamic hot-carrier stressing of reoxidized nitrided oxide
Author :
Doyle, Brian S. ; Dunn, G.J.
Author_Institution :
Digital Equipment Corp., Hudson, MA, USA
Abstract :
Dynamic channel hot-carrier stress measurements were performed on reoxidized nitrided oxide (RNO) nMOSFETs in order to determine the importance of the high-gate-voltage electron trapping that occurs during static stress. RNO transistors stressed under circuit operation conditions were found to exhibit extrapolated lifetime 10/sup 7/ times greater than the lifetime determined from static stress measurements at the worst-case condition V/sub g/ approximately V/sub d/. Comparing RNO with conventional oxide under high-voltage dynamic stress conditions predicts a lifetime gain of 10/sup 10/ for the RNO. This finding makes RNO an extremely attractive gate dielectric candidate for scaled CMOS devices.<>
Keywords :
CMOS integrated circuits; dielectric thin films; insulated gate field effect transistors; integrated circuit technology; nitridation; oxidation; reliability; RNO; RNO transistors; circuit operation conditions; device lifetime enhancement; dynamic channel hot-carrier stress measurements; dynamic hot-carrier stressing; extrapolated lifetime; gate dielectric candidate; high-gate-voltage electron trapping; high-voltage dynamic stress conditions; hot carrier degradation; lifetime gain; nMOSFETs; reoxidized nitrided oxide; scaled CMOS devices; scaling; static stress; submicron nMOSFETs; Circuit testing; Degradation; Dielectric substrates; Electron traps; Hot carriers; Interface states; Laboratories; Low voltage; MOSFETs; Stress measurement;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
