Low voltage hot-electron effects in short channel MOSFETs

This work presents experimental evidence of hot electron injection into the gate oxide of submicron-size MOSFETs at applied voltages well below the minimum threshold for a simple physical interpretation in terms of the widely accepted lucky electron model. The results are then explained showing that at low voltages substantial Auger recombination takes place in the critical channel region near the drain and plays the essential role of a further mechanism providing some field-hot electrons with the extra energy needed to surmount the Si-SiO2interfacial barrier.