On the thermal activation of negative bias temperature instability

Abstract

The temperature dependence of negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) is investigated on 2.0nm SiO 2 devices from temperatures ranging from 300K down to 6K with a measurement window of ~12ms to 100s. Results indicate that classic NBTI degradation is observed down to ~200K and rarely observed at temperatures below 140K in the experimental window. Since experimental results show the charge trapping component contributing to NBTI is thermally activated, the results cannot be explained with the conventionally employed elastic tunneling theory. A new mechanism is observed at temperatures below 200K where device performance during stress conditions improves rather than degrades with time, which is opposite to the "classical" NBTI phenomenon.

The statistical analysis of individual defects constituting NBTI and its implications for modeling DC- and AC-stress

“…To summarize, we think all conclusions about non-thermally-activated behavior for short times in large FETs were wrong. A convincing further proof for this assumption is -except our experimental results -the low temperature experiment in [20] showing that all threshold shift vanishes below T=150K.…”

“…Since the energy level of the charged defects is field dependent the reaction rate for both directions, capture and emission of charge, is gate voltage dependent. The experiments in this work and also low temperature experiments [20] have clearly shown that tunneling of light particles (electrons or holes), which is nearly temperature independent, does not contribute to NBTI. At this point we want to mention that Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination also has been tried (unsuccessfully) to explain the NBTI temperature dependence.…”

Difference analysis method for negative bias temperature instability lifetime prediction in deeply scaled pMOSFETs

“…It induces a threshold voltage shift on devices and subsequently impacts the circuit performance. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Typically, the NBTI effect on CMOS memory devices such as static random access memory (SRAM) has received much attention. [9][10][11][12][13] It leads to the degradation of the SRAM static noise margin (SNM) due to time-dependent mismatches.…”

Electron Spin Resonance Observation of Bias-Temperature Stress-Induced Interface Defects at NO/N2O-Annealed Chemical-Vapor-Deposition SiO2/(100) p-Si Substrates

“…Downscaling the dimensions of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices and improving the speed performance require the precise control of defect states at the SiO 2 /Si interface, which is recognized as a factor of the instability of MOS device performance. [1][2][3][4][5][6] This instability is thought to be induced by the hydrogen (H) termination and/or desorption at the interface defects. Liu and coworkers [7][8][9][10] carried out a nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) to probe the H diffusion and found that the nitrogen (N) in the SiO 2 films acts as a diffusion barrier against the approach of H to the SiO 2 /Si interface.…”