• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.87-97
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• 2013

Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) and positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) are critical circuit reliability issues in highly scaled CMOS technologies. In this paper, we analyze the impacts of NBTI and PBTI on SRAM $V_{MIN}$, and present a design solution for mitigating the impact of NBTI and PBTI on SRAM $V_{MIN}$. Two different types of SRAM $V_{MIN}$ (SNM-limited $V_{MIN}$ and time-limited $V_{MIN}$) are explained. Simulation results show that SNM-limited $V_{MIN}$ is more sensitive to NBTI while time-limited $V_{MIN}$ is more prone to suffer from PBTI effect. The proposed NBTI/PBTI-aware control of wordline pulse width and woldline voltage improves cell stability, and mitigates the $V_{MIN}$ degradation induced by NBTI/PBTI.

• 한국정보전자통신기술학회논문지
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.180-186
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• 2023

본 논문은 4세대 VNAND 공정으로 만들어진 고전압 SiO2 절연층 nMOSFET의 n⁺ 및 p⁺ poly-Si 게이트에서의 positive bias temperature instability(PBTI) 열화에 대해 비교하고 각각의 메커니즘에 대해 분석한다. 게이트 전극 물질의 차이로 인한 절연층의 전계 차이 때문에 n⁺/nMOSFET의 열화가 p⁺/nMOSFET의 열화보다 더 클 것이라는 예상과 다르게 오히려 p⁺/nMOSFET의 열화가 더 크게 측정되었다. 원인을 분석하기 위해 각각의 경우에 대해 interface state와 oxide charge를 각각 추출하였고, 캐리어 분리 기법으로 전하의 주입과 포획 메커니즘을 분석하였다. 그 결과, p⁺ poly-Si 게이트에 의한 정공 주입 및 포획이 p⁺/nMOSFET의 열화를 가속시킴을 확인하였다.

• JSTS:Journal of Semiconductor Technology and Science
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.166-173
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• 2009

The reliability of hafnium oxide gate dielectrics incorporating lanthanum (La) is investigated. nMOSFETs with metal/La-doped high-k dielectric stack show lower $V_{th}$ and $I_{gate}$, which is attributed to the dipole formation at the high-k/$SiO_2$ interface. The reliability results well correlate with the dipole model. Due to lower trapping efficiency, the La-doping of the high-k gate stacks can provide better PBTI immunity, as well as lower charge trapping compared to the control HfSiO stacks. While the devices with La show better immunity to positive bias temperature instability (PBTI) under normal operating conditions, the threshold voltage shift (${\Delta}V_{th}$) at high field PBTI is significant. The results of a transconductance shift (${\Delta}G_m$) that traps are easily generated during high field stress because the La weakens atomic bonding in the interface layer.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2008년도 추계학술대회 논문집 Vol.21
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• pp.122-122
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• 2008

Recently, Metal/Alumina/Silicon-Nitride/Silicon-Oxide/Silicon (MANOS) structures are one of the most attractive candidates to realize vertical scaling of high-density NAND flash memory [1]. However, as ANO layers are miniaturized, negative and positive bias temperature instability (NBTI/PBTI), such as the flat band voltage shift, ${\Delta}V_{FB}$, the interfacial trap density increase, ${\Delta}D_{it}$, the gate leakage current, ${\Delta}I_G$. and the retention characteristics, in MONOS capacitors, becomes an important issue in terms of reliability. It is well known that tunnel oxide degradation is a result of the oxide and interfacial traps generation during FN (Fowler-Nordheim) stress [2]. Because the bias temperature stress causes an increase of both interfacial-traps and fixed oxide charge could be a factor, witch can degrade device reliability during the program and erase operation. However, few studies on NBTI/PBTI have been conducted on improving the reliability of MONOS devices. In this work, we investigate the effect of post-annealing gas on bias temperature instability (BTI), such as the flat band voltage shift, ${\Delta}V_{FB}$, the interfacial trap density shift, ${\Delta}I_G$ retention characteristics, and the gate leakage current characteristics of MANOS capacitors. MANOS samples annealed at $950^{\circ}C$ for 30 s by a rapid thermal process were treated via additional annealing in a furnace, using annealing gases $N_2$ and $N_2-H_2$ (2 % hydrogen and 98 % nitrogen mixture gases) at $450^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. MANOS samples annealed in $N_2-H_2$ ambient had the lowest flat band voltage shift, ${\Delta}V_{FB}$ = 1.09/0.63 V at the program/erase state, and the good retention characteristics, 123/84 mV/decade at the program/erase state more than the sample annealed at $N_2$ ambient.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.182-187
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• 2011

In this paper, PBTI characteristics of NMOSFETs with La incorporated HfSiON and HfON are compared in detail. The charge trapping model shows that threshold voltage shift (${\Delta}V_{\mathrm{T}}$) of NMOSFETs with HfLaON is greater than that of HfLaSiON. PBTI lifetime of HfLaSiON is also greater than that of HfLaON by about 2~3 orders of magnitude. Therefore, high charge trapping rate of HfLaON can be explained by higher trap density than HfLaSiON. The different de-trapping behavior under recovery stress can be explained by the stable energy for U-trap model, which is related to trap energy level at zero electric field in high-k dielectric. The trap energy level of two devices at zero electric field, which is extracted using Frenkel-poole emission model, is 1,658 eV for HfLaSiON and 1,730 eV for HfLaON, respectively. Moreover, the optical phonon energy of HfLaON extracted from the thermally activated gate current is greater than that of HfLaSiON.