Processing dependences of channel hot-carrier degradation on strained-Si p-channel metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors

The channel hot-carrier (CHC) degradation in metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors based on a high-k dielectric with strained-Si/relaxed Si_1-xGe_x structures has been little studied so far. However, due to the high mobility enhancement observed in these samples, a deeper study of the CHC impact on them is necessary. In this article, the effects of the Ge content, overgrowth, channel length, and operating temperature on the CHC degradation have been analyzed. The results show that devices with higher mobility suffer larger CHC aging both at room temperature and in the elevated temperature range.