Hot-Carrier Device Degradation Modeling and Extraction Methodologies

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a number of improvements in methods for hot-carrier device degradation modeling and extraction. Several improvements are presented for the improvement of building device degradation models, including allowing the user to select a device parameter used to build the device degradation model independent of the device parameter selected. The user can also select the functional relation between stress time and degradation level. To further improve accuracy, multiple acceleration parameters can be used to account for different regions of the degradation process. Analytical functions may be used to represent aged device model parameters, either directly or by fitting measured device parameters versus device age values, allowing devices with different age values to share the same device model. The concept of binning is extended to include device degradation. In addition to a binning based on device width and length, age is added. In an exemplary embodiment, only devices with minimum channel length have degraded models constructed. The present invention also allows the degradation of one device parameter to be determined based on an age value derived from another parameter. In yet another aspect, a degraded device is modeled as a fresh device with a voltage source connected to a terminal.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a Continuation in Part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 832,933, filed on Apr. 11, 2001, is related to a U.S. application entitled “Hot-Carrier Reliability Design Rule Checker”, filed concurrently with the present application, and claims priority from provisional U.S. patent applications: Ser. No. 60 / 236,865, entitled “Hot-Carrier Circuit Reliability Simulation”, filed 29 Sep., 2000; 60 / 236,587, entitled “Hot-Carrier Device Degradation Modeling and Extraction Methodologies”, filed 29 Sep., 2000; and 60 / 236,586, entitled “Hot-Carrier Reliability Design Rule Checker”, filed 29 Sep., 2000.[0002]The above referenced applications are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The prior applications, in some parts, may indicate earlier efforts at describing the invention or describing specific embodiments and examples. The present invention is, therefore, best understood as described herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTI...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]The present invention is directed to a number of improvements in methods for hot-carrier device degradation modeling and extraction. According to a first aspect, several improvements are presented for the improvement of building device degradation models. The user can select the device parameter used to build the device degradation model and the selected device parameter is used to extract device degradation model parameters that will be used for general device parameter degradation. The user can also select the functional relation between stress time and degradation level. In some cases it may be unnecessary to extract voltage acceleration parameters. To further improve accuracy, improved values for one or more acceleration parameters can be extracted again. The use of multiple acceleration parameters can be used to account for different regions of the degradation process.

[0020]An additional aspect of the present invention allows the degradation of one device parameter to be determined based on a degradation level value derived from another parameter. In this way, the degradation for many device parameters can be determined based on a single extraction of a time acceleration parameter.

Problems solved by technology

The design of such circuits is extremely complicated and usually employs simulators, such as SPICE, to predict circuit operation.

With operation over time, the PMOS transistor 10 will suffer degradation due to device aging.

Additionally, the oxide / silicon interface above channel region is damaged by the more energetic holes and electrons.

These effects degrade the transistor's operation in several ways.

The strength of these effects depend differently on bias conditions, but traditionally the change due to lower mobility has been smaller; however, as device sizes have decreased, this interface damage becomes more significant and, depending upon bias conditions, often becomes the larger effect below a quarter micron or so.

These problems are aggravated as device sizes decrease into the submicron region.

These hot electron effects build up over time causing the device to degrade as it ages.

However, the same aged model card can no longer be used for all of the similar devices.

As a real circuit will often contain thousands or even millions of elements, the simulation of the aging of such circuits is a extremely complicated process for which a large number of improvements are desirable.

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