Modeling of negative bias temperature instability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26636/jtit.2007.2.814Keywords:
reliability, negative bias temperature instability, modeling, simulation, hydrogen, silicon dioxide, defects, interface states, semiconductor device equationsAbstract
Negative bias temperature instability is regarded as one of the most important reliability concerns of highly scaled PMOS transistors. As a consequence of the continuous downscaling of semiconductor devices this issue has become even more important over the last couple of years due to the high electric fields in the oxide and the routine incorporation of nitrogen. During negative bias temperature stress a shift in important parameters of PMOS transistors, such as the threshold voltage, subthreshold slope, and mobility is observed. Modeling efforts date back to the reaction-diffusion model proposed by Jeppson and Svensson thirty years ago which has been continuously refined since then. Although the reaction-diffusion model is able to explain many experimentally observed characteristics, some microscopic details are still not well understood. Recently, various alternative explanations have been put forward, some of them extending, some of them contradicting the standard reaction-diffusion model. We review these explanations with a special focus on modeling issues.
Downloads
References
[1] A. Goetzberger and H. E. Nigh, "Surface charge after annealing of Al-SiO2 -Si structures under bias", Proc. IEEE, vol. 54, no. 10, p. 1454, 1966.
View in Google Scholar
[2] E. Deal, M. Sklar, A. S. Grove, and E. H. Snow, "Characteristics of the surface-state charge (Qss) of thermally oxidized silicon", J. Electrochem. Soc., vol. 114, no. 3, p. 266, 1967.
View in Google Scholar
[3] D. K. Schroder and J. A. Babcock, "Negative bias temperature instability: road to cross in deep submicron silicon semiconductor manufacturing", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 94, no. 1, pp. 1-18, 2003.
View in Google Scholar
[4] M. A. Alam and S. Mahapatra, "A comprehensive model of PMOS NBTI degradation", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 71-81, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[5] S. Mahapatra, M. A. Alam, P. B. Kumar, T. R. Dalei, D. Varghese, and D. Saha, "Negative bias temperature instability in CMOS devices", Microelectron. Eng., vol. 80, no. suppl., pp. 114-121, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[6] V. Huard, M. Denais, and C. Parthasarathy, "NBTI degradation: from physical mechanisms to modelling", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 1-23, 2006.
View in Google Scholar
[7] J. H. Stathis and S. Zafar, "The negative bias temperature instability in MOS devices: a review", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 46, no. 2-4, pp. 270-286, 2006.
View in Google Scholar
[8] K. O. Jeppson and C. M. Svensson, "Negative bias stress of MOS devices at high electric fields and degradation of MNOS devices", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 48, no. 5, pp. 2004-2014, 1977.
View in Google Scholar
[9] S. Ogawa and N. Shiono, "Generalized diffusion-reaction model for the low-field charge build up instability at the Si/SiO2 interface", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 51, no. 7, pp. 4218-4230, 1995.
View in Google Scholar
[10] M. Ershov, R. Lindley, S. Saxena, A. Shibkov, S. Minehane, J. Babcock, S. Winters, H. Karbasi, T. Yamashita, P. Clifton, and M. Redford, "Transient effects and characterization methodology of negative bias temperature instability in PMOS transistors", in Proc. Int. Rel. Phys. Symp., Dallas, USA, 2003, pp. 606-607.
View in Google Scholar
[11] S. Rangan, N. Mielke, and E. C. C. Yeh, "Universal recovery behavior of negative bias temperature instability", in Proc. Int. Electron Dev. Meet., Washington, USA, 2003, pp. 341-344.
View in Google Scholar
[12] D. Varghese, D. Saha, S. Mahapatra, K. Ahmed, F. Nouri, and M. Alam, "On the dispersive versus Arrhenius temperature activation of NBTI time evolution in plasma nitrided gate oxides: measurements, theory, and implications", in Proc. Int. Electron Dev. Meet., Washington, USA, 2005, pp. 1-4.
View in Google Scholar
[13] A. Haggag, W. McMahon, K. Hess, K. Cheng, J. Lee, and J. Lyding, "High-performance chip reliability from short-time-tests", in Proc. Int. Rel. Phys. Symp., Orlando, USA, 2001, pp. 271-279.
View in Google Scholar
[14] E. H. Poindexter, G. J. Gerardi, M.-E. Rueckel, P. J. Caplan, N. M. Johnson, and D. K. Biegelsen, "Electronic traps and Pb centers at the Si/SiO2 interface: band-gap energy distribution", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 56, no. 10, pp. 2844-2849, 1984.
View in Google Scholar
[15] P. M. Lenahan and J. F. Conley Jr., "What can electron paramagnetic resonance tell us about the Si/SiO2 system?", J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B, vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 2134-2153, 1998.
View in Google Scholar
[16] J. P. Campbell, P. M. Lenahan, A. T. Krishnan, and S. Krishnan, "Direct observation of the structure of defect centers involved in the negative bias temperature instability", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 87, no. 20, pp. 1-3, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[17] M. Denais, A. Bravaix, V. Huard, C. Parthasarathy, G. Ribes, F. Perrier, Y. Rey-Tauriac, and N. Revil, "On-the-fly characterization of NBTI in ultra-thin gate oxide PMOSFET's", in Proc. Int. Electron Dev. Meet., San Francisco, USA, 2004, pp. 109-112.
View in Google Scholar
[18] M. A. Alam, "A critical examination of the mechanics of dynamic NBTI for PMOSFETs", in Proc. Int. Electron Dev. Meet., Washington, USA, 2003, pp. 345-348.
View in Google Scholar
[19] A. T. Krishnan, C. Chancellor, S. Chakravarthi, P. E. Nicollian, V. Reddy, A. Varghese, R. B. Khamankar, and S. Krishnan, "Material dependence of hydrogen diffusion: implications for NBTI degradation", in Proc. Int. Electron Dev. Meet., Washington, USA, 2005, pp. 688-691.
View in Google Scholar
[20] A. T. Krishnan, V. Reddy, S. Chakravarthi, J. Rodriguez, S. John, and S. Krishnan, "NBTI impact on transistor and circuit: models, mechanisms and scaling effects", in Proc. Int. Electron Dev. Meet., Washington, USA, 2003, pp. 14.5.1-14.5.4.
View in Google Scholar
[21] M. Houssa, M. Aoulaiche, S. De Gendt, G. Groeseneken, M. M. Heyns, and A. Stesmans, "Reaction-dispersive proton transport model for negative bias temperature instabilities", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 86, no. 9, pp. 1-3, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[22] B. Kaczer, V. Arkhipov, R. Degraeve, N. Collaert, G. Groeseneken, and M. Goodwin, "Temperature dependence of the negative bias temperature instability in the framework of dispersive transport", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 86, no. 14, pp. 1-3, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[23] S. Zafar, "Statistical mechanics based model for negative bias temperature instability induced degradation", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 97, no. 10, pp. 1-9, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[24] A. Stesmans, "Passivation of Pb0 and Pb1 interface defects in thermal (100) Si/SiO2 with molecular hydrogen", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 68, no. 15, pp. 2076-2078, 1996.
View in Google Scholar
[25] M. Houssa, J. L. Autran, A. Stesmans, and M. M. Heyns, "Model for interface defect and positive charge generation in ultrathin SiO2 /ZrO2 gate dielectric stacks", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 81, no. 4, pp. 709-711, 2002.
View in Google Scholar
[26] L. Tsetseris, X. J. Zhou, D. M. Fleetwood, R. D. Schrimpf, and S. T. Pantelides, "Physical mechanisms of negative-bias temperature instability", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 86, no. 14, pp. 1-3, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[27] K. Kushida-Abdelghafar, K. Watanabe, J. Ushio, and E. Murakami, "Effect of nitrogen at SiO2 /Si interface on reliability issues", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 81, no. 23, pp. 4362-4364, 2002.
View in Google Scholar
[28] M. Houssa, "Modelling negative bias temperature instabilities in advanced p-MOSFETs", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 3-12, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[29] N. Stojadinović, D. Danković, S. Djorić-Veljković, V. Davidović, I. Manić, and S. Golubović, "Negative bias temperature instability mechanisms in p-channel power VDMOSFETs", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 45, no. 9-11, pp. 1343-1348, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[30] B. Kaczer, V. Arkhipov, R. Degraeve, N. Collaert, G. Groeseneken, and M. Goodwin, "Disorder-controlled-kinetics model for negative bias temperature instability and its experimental verification", in Proc. Int. Rel. Phys. Symp., San Jose, USA, 2005, pp. 381-387.
View in Google Scholar
[31] T. Yang, C. Shen, M. F. Li, C. H. Ang, C. X. Zhu, Y.-C. Yeo, G. Samudra, and D.-L. Kwong, "Interface trap passivation effect in NBTI measurement for p-MOSFET with SiON gate dielectric", IEEE Electron Dev. Lett., vol. 26, no. 10, pp. 758-760, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[32] D. S. Ang, "Observation of suppressed interface state relaxation under positive gate biasing of the ultrathin oxynitride gate p-MOSFET subjected to negative-bias temperature stressing", IEEE Electron Dev. Lett., vol. 27, no. 5, pp. 412-415, 2006.
View in Google Scholar
[33] H. Reisinger, O. Blank, W. Heinrigs, A. Mühlhoff, W. Gustin, and C. Schlünder, "Analysis of NBTI degradation and recovery-behavior based on ultra fast Vt-measurements", in Proc. Int. Rel. Phys. Symp., San Jose, USA, 2006, pp. 448-453.
View in Google Scholar
[34] C. G. Van de Walle and B. R. Tuttle, "Microscopic theory of hydrogen in silicon devices", IEEE Trans. Electron Dev., vol. 47, no. 10, pp. 1779-1786, 2000.
View in Google Scholar
[35] N. H. Nickel, A. Yin, and S. J. Fonash, "Influence of hydrogen and oxygen plasma treatments on grain-boundary defects in polycrystalline silicon", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 65, no. 24, pp. 3099-3101, 1994.
View in Google Scholar
[36] S. N. Rashkeev, D. M. Fleetwood, D. Schrimpf, and S. T. Pantelides, "Dual behavior of H+ at Si-SiO2 interfaces: mobility versus trapping", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 81, no. 10, pp. 1839-1841, 2002.
View in Google Scholar
[37] C. G. Van de Walle, P. J. H. Denteneer, Y. Bar-Yam, and S. T. Pantelides, "Theory of hydrogen diffusion and reactions in crystalline silicon", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 39, no. 15, pp. 10791-10808, 1989.
View in Google Scholar
[38] M. Denais, A. Bravaix, V. Huard, C. Parthasarathy, M. Bidaud, G. Ribes, D. Barge, L. Vishnubhotla, B. Tavel, Y. Rey-Tauriac, F. Perrier, N. Revil, F. Arnaud, and P. Stolk, "New hole trapping characterization during NBTI in 65 nm node technology with distinct nitridation processing", in Proc. Int. Integr. Reliab. Worksh., Lake Tahoe, USA, 2004, pp. 121-124.
View in Google Scholar
[39] D. S. Ang, S. Wang, and C. H. Ling, "Evidence of two distinct degradation mechanisms from temperature dependence of negative bias stressing of the ultrathin gate p-MOSFET", IEEE Electron Dev. Lett., vol. 26, no. 12, pp. 906-908, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[40] E. W. Montroll and H. Scher, "Random walks on lattices. IV. Continuous-time walks and influence of absorbing boundaries", J. Stat. Phys., vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 101-135, 1973.
View in Google Scholar
[41] H. Scher and E. W. Montroll, "Anomalous transit-time dispersion in amorphous solids", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 12, no. 6, pp. 2455-2477, 1975.
View in Google Scholar
[42] J. Noolandi, "Multiple-trapping model of anomalous transit-time dispersion in a-Se", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 16, no. 10, pp. 4466-4473, 1977.
View in Google Scholar
[43] V. I. Arkhipov and A. I. Rudenko, "Drift and diffusion in materials with traps", Phil. Mag. B, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 189-207, 1982.
View in Google Scholar
[44] D. B. Brown and N. S. Saks, "Time dependence of radiation-induced trap formation in metal-oxide-semiconductor devices as a function of oxide thickness and applied field", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 70, no. 7, pp. 3734-3747, 1991.
View in Google Scholar
[45] J. Orenstein, M. A. Kastner, and V. Vaninov, "Transient photoconductivity and photo-induced optical absorption in amorphous semiconductors", Phil. Mag. B, vol. 46, no. 1, pp. 23-62, 1982.
View in Google Scholar
[46] F. B. McLean and G. A. Ausman, "Simple approximate solution to continuous-time random-walk transport", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 1052-1061, 1977.
View in Google Scholar
[47] V. I. Arkhipov, "Trap-controlled and hopping modes of transport and recombination: similarities and differences", in Proc. Int. Symp. Elect. Insul. Mater., Tokyo, Japan, 1995, pp. 271-274.
View in Google Scholar
[48] J. Noolandi, "Equivalence of multiple-trapping model and time-dependent random walk", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 16, no. 10, pp. 4474-4479, 1977.
View in Google Scholar
[49] F. W. Schmidlin, "Theory of trap-controlled photoconduction", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 2362-2385, 1977.
View in Google Scholar
[50] S. Lathi and A. Das, "Semi-numerical simulation of dispersive transport in the oxide of metal-oxide semiconductor devices", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 77, no. 8, pp. 3864-3867, 1995.
View in Google Scholar
[51] N. Talwalkar, A. Das, and J. Vasi, "Dispersive transport of carriers under nonuniform electric field", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 78, no. 7, pp. 4487-4489, 1995.
View in Google Scholar
[52] W. B. Jackson and C. C. Tsai, "Hydrogen transport in amorphous silicon", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 45, no. 12, pp. 6564-6580, 1992.
View in Google Scholar
[53] K. L. Brower, "Passivation of paramagnetic Si/SiO2 interface states with molecular hydrogen", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 53, no. 6, pp. 508-510, 1988.
View in Google Scholar
[54] E. Cartier, J. H. Stathis, and D. A. Buchanan, "Passivation and depassivation of silicon dangling bonds at the Si(111)/SiO2 interface by atomic hydrogen", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 63, no. 11, pp. 1510-1512, 1993.
View in Google Scholar
[55] E. Cartier and J. H. Stathis, "Hot-electron induced passivation of silicon dangling bonds at the Si(111)/SiO2 interface", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 69, no. 1, pp. 103-105, 1996.
View in Google Scholar
[56] A. T. Krishnan, S. Chakravarthi, P. Nicollian, V. Reddy, and S. Krishnan, "Negative bias temperature instability mechanism: the role of molecular hydrogen", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 88, no. 15, pp. 1-3, 2006.
View in Google Scholar
[57] A. Stesmans, "Dissociation kinetics of hydrogen-passivated Pb defects at the (111)Si/SiO2 interface", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 61, no. 12, pp. 8393-8403, 2000.
View in Google Scholar
[58] M. Denais, V. Huard, C. Parthasarathy, G. Ribes, F. Perrier, D. Roy, and A. Bravaix, "Perspectives on NBTI in advanced technologies: modelling & characterization", in Proc. ESSDERC Conf., Grenoble, France, 2005, pp. 399-402.
View in Google Scholar
[59] D. L. Griscom, "Diffusion of radiolytic molecular hydrogen as a mechanism for the post-irradiation buildup of interface states in SiO2-on-Si structures", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 58, no. 7, pp. 2524-2533, 1985.
View in Google Scholar
[60] L. Tsetseris and S. T. Pantelides, "Migration, incorporation, and passivation reactions of molecular hydrogen at the Si-SiO2 interface", Phys. Rev. B, vol. 70, no. 24, pp. 1-6, 2004.
View in Google Scholar
[61] S. Chakravarthi, A. T. Krishnan, V. Reddy, C. F. Machala, and S. Krishnan, "A comprehensive framework for predictive modeling of negative bias temperature instability", in Proc. Int. Rel. Phys. Symp., Phoenix, USA, 2004, pp. 273-282.
View in Google Scholar
[62] S. Ogawa, M. Shimaya, and N. Shiono, "Interface-trap generation at ultrathin SiO2 (4 nm-6 nm)-Si interfaces during negative-bias temperature aging", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 77, no. 3, pp. 1137-1148, 1995.
View in Google Scholar
[63] J. B. Yang, T. P. Chen, S. S. Tan, and L. Chan, "Analytical reaction-diffusion model and the modeling of nitrogen-enhanced negative bias temperature instability", Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 88, no. 17, pp. 1-3, 2006.
View in Google Scholar
[64] C. T. Sah, T. H. Ning, and L. L. Tschopp, "The scattering of electrons by surface oxide charges and by lattice vibrations at the silicon dioxide interface", Surf. Sci., vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 561-575, 1972.
View in Google Scholar
[65] M. Kondo and H. Tanimoto, "Accurate Coulomb mobility model for MOS inversion layer and its application to NO-oxynitride devices", IEEE Trans. Electron Dev., vol. 48, no. 2, pp. 265-270, 2001.
View in Google Scholar
[66] M. A. Alam, "NBTI: a simple view of a complex phenomena", in Proc. Int. Rel. Phys. Symp., San Jose, USA, 2006.
View in Google Scholar
[67] M. Houssa, M. Aoulaiche, J. L. Autran, C. Parthasarathy, N. Revil, and E. Vincent, "Modeling negative bias temperature instabilities in hole channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors with ultrathin gate oxide layers", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 95, no. 5, pp. 2786-2791, 2004.
View in Google Scholar
[68] V. Huard, M. Denais, F. Perrier, N. Revil, C. Parthasarathy, A. Bravaix, and E. Vincent, "A thorough investigation of MOSFETs NBTI degradation", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 83-98, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[69] H. Aono, E. Murakami, K. Okuyama, A. Nishida, M. Minami, Y. Ooji, and K. Kubota, "Modeling of NBTI saturation effect and its impact on electric field dependence of the lifetime", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 45, no. 7-8, pp. 1109-1114, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[70] F. Lau, L. Mader, C. Mazure, Ch. Werner, and M. Orlowski, "Model for phosphorus segregation at the silicon-silicon dioxide interface", Appl. Phys. A, vol. 49, no. 6, pp. 671-675, 1989.
View in Google Scholar
[71] H. Kufluoglu and M. A. Alam, "A geometrical unification of the theories of NBTI and HCI time-exponents and its implications for ultra-scaled planar and surround-gate MOSFETs", in Proc. Int. Electron Dev. Meet., San Francisco, USA, 2004, pp. 113-116.
View in Google Scholar
[72] C. Schlünder, R. Brederlow, B. Ankele, W. Gustin, K. Goser, and R. Thewes, "Effects of inhomogeneous negative bias temperature stress on p-channel MOSFETs of analog and RF circuits", Microelectron. Reliab., vol. 45, no. 1, pp. 39-46, 2005.
View in Google Scholar
[73] H. Kufluoglu and M. A. Alam, "Theory of interface-trap-induced NBTI degradation for reduced cross section MOSFETs", IEEE Trans. Electron Dev., vol. 53, no. 5, pp. 1120-1130, 2006.
View in Google Scholar
[74] R. E. Stahlbush and E. Cartier, "Interface defect formation in MOSFETs by atomic hydrogen exposure", IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., vol. 41, no. 6, pp. 1844-1853, 1994.
View in Google Scholar
[75] W. D. Eades and R. M. Swanson, "Calculation of surface generation and recombination velocities at the Si-SiO2 interface", J. Appl. Phys., vol. 58, no. 11, pp. 4267-4276, 1985.
View in Google Scholar
Downloads
Submitted
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
