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Title: Investigation of abnormal negative threshold voltage shift under positive bias stress in input/output n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors with TiN/HfO{sub 2} structure using fast I-V measurement

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4868532· OSTI ID:22257739
; ;  [1]; ; ; ;  [2]; ; ;  [3]
  1. Department of Electronics Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan (China)
  2. Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan (China)
  3. Device Department, United Microelectronics Corporation, Tainan Science Park, Taiwan (China)

This letter investigates abnormal negative threshold voltage shifts under positive bias stress in input/output (I/O) TiN/HfO{sub 2} n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors using fast I-V measurement. This phenomenon is attributed to a reversible charge/discharge effect in pre-existing bulk traps. Moreover, in standard performance devices, threshold-voltage (V{sub t}) shifts positively during fast I-V double sweep measurement. However, in I/O devices, V{sub t} shifts negatively since electrons escape from bulk traps to metal gate rather than channel electrons injecting to bulk traps. Consequently, decreasing pre-existing bulk traps in I/O devices, which can be achieved by adopting Hf{sub x}Zr{sub 1−x}O{sub 2} as gate oxide, can reduce the charge/discharge effect.

OSTI ID:
22257739
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 104, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English