A unified model for the flicker noise in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors

A unified flicker noise model which incorporates both the number fluctuation and the correlated surface mobility fluctuation mechanism is discussed. The latter is attributed to the Coulombic scattering effect of the fluctuating oxide charge. The model has a functional form resembling that of the number fluctuation theory, but at certain bias conditions it may reduce to a form compatible with Hooge's empirical expression. The model can unify the noise data reported in the literature, without making any ad hoc assumption on the noise generation mechanism. Specifically, the model can predict the right magnitude and bias dependence of the empirical Hooge parameter. Simulated flicker noise characteristics obtained with a circuit-simulation-oriented flicker noise model based on the new formulation were compared with experimental noise data. Excellent agreement between the calculations and measurement was observed in both the linear and saturation regions for MOS transistors fabricated by different technologies. The work shows that the flicker noise in MOS transistors can be completely explained by the trap charge fluctuation mechanism, which produces mobile carrier number fluctuation and correlated surface mobility fluctuation.<
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