An ultra-low-noise Source-Measuring Unit for semiconductor device noise characterization

This work presents an automated measurement system designed and realized in order to perform low-frequency noise measurements on MOSFET devices with the easy of use and programmability of a Source-Measuring Unit (SMU). The designed instrument is made up mainly by two parts, an analog part that bias the Device Under Test and amplifies its signals, and a digital part that allows to reconfigure, according to the measurement needs, the analog part in a remote driven way. Thus, it was possible to integrate the designed system in a wafer-level measurement system, provided with a dedicated software, in order to perform, in a completely automated way, various set of noise measurements that could require even large amounts of time. Moreover for completeness of the measurement system, in order to allow the user to check out the DUT's integrity and measure its I/V curves (as required before performing any noise measurement) the designed system allows even to perform a static characterization using a dedicated software that has been integrated in the noise measurement Virtual Instrument. With this solution, the use of a parameter analyzer and a switch matrix can be avoided, thus positioning the instrument on the prober shelf, very close to the device, solving a great amount of external interference problems.