The transition from generation–recombination noise in bulk semiconductors to discrete switching in small-area semiconductors

Abstract

Scaling down the dimensions of Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) evinces discrete switching usually referred to as random telegraph signal (RTS). Such RTSs are usually attributed to the capture and emission of charge carriers by a single active trap located in an oxide layer. Machlup calculated the noise spectrum caused by these charge carriers based on probabilistic arguments. In this paper, we derive Machlup's noise spectrum differently: the g-r noise is attributed to a random succession of elementary g-r pulses. This enables g-r bulk noise to be interpreted in terms of the numbers of traps. The transition from g-r bulk noise to discrete switching is found by reducing the number of traps to just one single active trap. The resulting g-r noise spectrum is shown to be equivalent to Machlup's noise spectrum. The probability of an overlap of succeeding g-r pulses is calculated. Such an overlap is attributed to occupation of an empty single trap by an electron transferred from a neighboring trap. We simulate a g-r pulse train and find a large variety of patterns similar to those observed in MOSFETs. Excluding overlapping g-r pulses, the up-and-down distribution of succeeding g-r pulses is estimated.

1/f noise under drift and thermal agitation in semiconductor materials

“…(2.5) represents the time between successive generations at an individual trap. As is shown in [14], fluctuations due to the g-r process can be attributed to a random succession of elementary g-r pulses. This approach is also applied to an intermittent g-r process investigated in the following.…”

“…is the g-r lifetime. Generations occurring at random obey Poisson statistics implying [14] (2.2) where is the mean number of conduction electrons contributing to the g-r process. We define by (2.3) the fraction of the conduction electrons contributing to the g-r process.…”

“…Here, the generation rate is defined by the parameters of the conduction electrons. Alternatively, by using the parameters of traps, the generation rate is likewise defined by [14] .…”

In‐Memory‐Computed Low‐Frequency Noise Spectroscopy for Selective Gas Detection Using a Reducible Metal Oxide

“…During the carrier exchange process, a local diffusion current is formed. The corresponding PSD can be modeled as shown below [41] ΔI…”