RELIABILITY STUDIES OF LOW-VOLTAGE, PLANAR, POWER MOSFET DEVICES
Open Access
- Author:
- Moses, James Michael
- Graduate Program:
- Engineering Science
- Degree:
- Master of Science
- Document Type:
- Master Thesis
- Date of Defense:
- November 11, 2010
- Committee Members:
- Samia A Suliman, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Samia A Suliman, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor - Keywords:
- transistors
hot carrier stress
degradation
charge pumping
dynamic analysis of MOSFET - Abstract:
- Semiconductor transistors have been utilized in digital electronics for many years now as switches in logic circuits. The trend of exponentially-increasing transistors per die will soon be reaching its limit due to the effect of quantum physics on the nanometer-sized components. One way to offset this slowdown in IC technology is to increase the functionality and application of these semiconductor transistors. Power applications are an increasingly important area for the application of transistors. The research reported in this thesis entails performance and reliability studies of these power transistors as a function of their fabrication processes. By utilizing electrical characterization techniques and accelerated-aging electrical stresses, this study yields insight into optimum processing parameters for increased device performance and enhanced reliability. The research was conducted in two distinct phases. First, a quasi-static testing scheme was utilized which yielded important information about device reliability as a function of processing. Secondly, a dynamical testing scheme was utilized that more closely mimicked the planar device under real operating conditions. This thesis shows that the device performance and reliability is mainly affected by interface traps in these particular devices. These traps are present before electrical stresses are applied and the number of traps increases upon application of electrical stresses. Also, this thesis has determined the optimum processing parameters, out of the given choices, to enhance performance and reliability of semiconductor power devices.