A new hot-carrier induced degradation mode under low gate and drain bias stresses in N-channel MOSFETs

Abstract Experimental evidence is presented for an enhanced hot-carrier induced degradation mode in submicron n-channel MOSFETs. Its feature is that remarkable lifetime shortening occurs at a gate bias of near threshold voltage and at drain biases lower than 5 V, rather than at the gate bias of maximum substrate current condition. Significant interface trap generation without apparent hole trapping is found to be responsible for degradation enhancement under these bias conditions.