On the Prediction of the Threshold Voltage Degradation in CMOS Technology Due to Bias-Temperature Instability

Currently, researchers face new challenges in order to compensate or even reduce the noxious phenomenon known as bias-temperature instability (BTI) that is present in modern metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) technologies, which negatively impacts the performance of semiconductor devices. BTI remains a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alejandro Campos-Cruz, Guillermo Espinosa-Flores-Verdad, Alfonso Torres-Jacome, Esteban Tlelo-Cuautle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-12-01
Series:Electronics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-9292/7/12/427
Description
Summary:Currently, researchers face new challenges in order to compensate or even reduce the noxious phenomenon known as bias-temperature instability (BTI) that is present in modern metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) technologies, which negatively impacts the performance of semiconductor devices. BTI remains a mystery in the way that it evolves in time, as well as the responsible mechanisms for its appearance and the further degradation it produces on MOS devices. The BTI phenomenon is usually associated with an increase of MOS transistor’s threshold voltage; however, this work also addresses BTI as a change in MOSFET’s drain current, transconductance, and the channel’s resistivity. In this way, we detail a physics-based model to get a better insight into the prediction of threshold voltage degradation for aging ranges going from days to years, in 180-nm MOS technology. We highlight that a physics-based BTI model improves accuracy in comparison to lookup table models. Finally, simulation results for the inclusion of such a physics-based BTI model into BSIM3v3 are shown in order to get a better understanding of how BTI impacts the performance of MOS devices.
ISSN:2079-9292