EngineeringComputer EngineeringElectrical EngineeringElectronic MaterialsMicroelectronicsSemiconductor DevicesDevice CharacterizationDevice ReliabilityHigh-frequency Semiconductor DevicesSemiconductor ReliabilityBias Temperature InstabilityDielectric BreakdownDigital Logic CircuitsLeakagePositive Bias Temperature InstabilityReliability DegradationReliability Degradation MechanismsTime-dependent Dielectric Breakdown
In this paper, frequency dependence of the Positive Bias Temperature Instability (PBTI) and the Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB) at relative high frequency range (1KHz ~ 500MHz) in high-k/metal-gate (HK/MG) NMOS are investigated. An explanation of both dependencies of PBTI and TDDB with capture/emission times is proposed. This paper is divided into three parts: 1) AC PBTI and the existence of critical frequencies is discussed, 2) Frequency dependence of TDDB and its implication of the time to form leakage path, and 3) AC BTI/TDDB impacts on logic circuit, which is studied using simulated frequency degradation of ring oscillators (ROs). Based on the negligible frequency degradation of RO with worst Idsat degradations, we conclude that, for circuits operating in a continuous switching mode, BTI/TDDB will not be an unsurpassable reliability issue.
13
AC NBTI studied in the 1 Hz -- 2 GHz range on dedicated on-chip CMOS circuits
R. Fernández, B. Kaczer, A. Nackaerts et al. · 2006 · 144 citations
Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering +16
Understanding and modeling AC BTI
H. Reisinger, Tibor Grasser, K. Ermisch et al. · 2011 · 106 citations
Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Materials +16
On the frequency dependence of the bias temperature instability
Tibor Grasser, B. Kaczer, H. Reisinger et al. · 2012 · 54 citations