TCAD Simulation of Hot-Carrier and Thermal Degradation in STI-LDMOS Transistors

Physically based models of hot-carrier stress and dielectric-field-enhanced thermal damage have been incorporated into a TCAD tool with the aim of investigating the electrical degradation in integrated power devices over an extended range of stress biases and ambient temperatures. An analytical formulation of the distribution function accounting for the effects of the full band structure has been employed for hot-carrier modeling purposes. A quantitative understanding of the kinetics and local distribution of degradation is achieved, and the drift of the most relevant parameters is nicely predicted on an extended range of stress times and biases.