Hot-Electron Trapping Activation Energy Under Mechanical Stress

Mechanical stress-induced change in hot-electron trapping activation energy (Ea) was observed in PMOSFETs for the first time. Ea was found to continuously decrease from 80meV to 40meV under compressive mechanical stress(|/spl sigma/|<100MPa). From the cletrapping behavior after hot- electron injection, Ea is determined by Arrhenius plot and comparable to those determined by constant-current stress The new finding thus indicates that the Si-H or Si-SiO/sub 2/ interface dangling bonds are distorted by mechanical stress, resulting in Ea lowering.