A Novel Bias Temperature Instability Characterization Methodology for High-$k$nMOSFETs

The power law dependence of the threshold voltage shift (DeltaV
_th
) on stress time for high-k nMOSFETs is studied using a single-pulse I
_d
-V
_g
technique. The power law exponent value is found to be strongly affected by fast transient charge detrapping during the stress interruption time, which may result in an inaccurate lifetime prediction. A new analysis method that eliminates the impact of the stress interruption time is proposed to evaluate bias temperature instability in n-type high-k devices