A time-dependent parameter acquisition system for the characterization of MOS transistors and SONOS memory devices

Author

Sharma, Umesh ; Booth, Richard V H ; White, Marvin H.

Author_Institution

Lehigh Univ., Bethlehem, PA, USA

Volume

38

Issue

1

fYear

1989

fDate

2/1/1989 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

49

Lastpage

53

Abstract

An inexpensive and fully automated test station is described for the dynamic characterization of MOS and SONOS devices. The system incorporates a novel circuit which monitors the extrapolated threshold, transconductance, and subthreshold slope over time; onboard circuitry to place the system into one of several different modes of operation; an IEEE-488 interface to a controlling desktop computer; and a control program which performs several different measurement functions. Nonvolatile memory transistors are evaluated by the use of memory retention, programming, and endurance measurements, while short-channel MOS transistor reliability under DC and AC voltage stress is evaluated by monitoring the degradation in threshold and transconductance over time

Keywords

automatic test equipment; characteristics measurement; data acquisition; dynamic testing; insulated gate field effect transistors; microcomputer applications; reliability; semiconductor device testing; semiconductor storage; AC voltage stress; DC voltage stress; IEEE-488 interface; MOS transistors; SONOS memory devices; Si-SiO₂-Si₃N₄-SiO₂-Si; automated test station; degradation; desktop computer; endurance measurements; extrapolated threshold; memory retention; monitoring; multiple dielectric gate nonvolatile semiconductor memory; programming; reliability; subthreshold slope; threshold; time-dependent parameter acquisition system; transconductance; Automatic control; Automatic testing; Circuit testing; Computer displays; Computer interfaces; Control systems; MOSFETs; SONOS devices; Time measurement; Transconductance;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Instrumentation and Measurement, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9456

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/19.19997

Filename

19997