Hot electron device monitoring and characterisation: a review

Several measurement tools required for the accurate assessment of the damage inflicted by the various forms of hot electron phenomena are reviewed. Characterisation of both the type and level of hot electron activity is essential in determining both the rate of degradation as well as forecasting device lifetimes. These measurement tools are frequently employed to evaluate the hot electron resistant properties of new processes and device structures. They also aid the extraction of form factors for different reliability models. These models provide a simple and efficient method to estimate device lifetimes as well as monitor a given fabrication process. In addition, the various measurement techniques can be correlated with each other, allowing the derivation of several empirical models which aid in ascertaining both the type and level of hot electron activity. Once the various correlations have been established, choosing a given monitor allows evaluation of a variety of hot electron activities which is useful in a fabrication environment.