Relationship between MOSFET degradation and hot-electron-induced interface-state generation

Device degradation due to hot-electron injection in n-channel MOSFET's is mainly caused by mobility degradation and reduced mobile charges in the channel introduced by interface-state generation. With the use of simple gradual-channel approximation (GCA), a linear relationship is derived between the threshold shift, relative transconductance reduction, and the number of interface states generated. This model provides a link between the electrical characteristics of a degraded device and its physical damages and, therefore, is a vital tool in the study of hot-electron-induced device degradation mechanisms.