Semiconductor device performance simulation method under thermal-electric-radiation multi-field effect

Abstract

The invention discloses a semiconductor device performance simulation method under a thermal-electric-radiation multi-field effect, which comprises the following steps of: obtaining structure and material information of an actual semiconductor device, constructing a two-dimensional structure model of the device, and fusing a physical model, a temperature model, a total dose model and a single electron effect model to obtain a simulation result. And constructing a semiconductor device performance simulation model under the thermal-electric-radiation multi-field action. The single-particle characteristic parameter change rule of the power semiconductor device under the combined action of different temperatures, different doses and different voltages can be accurately simulated, so that the experiment cost is saved, and meanwhile, people are helped to analyze the single-particle characteristic parameter change rule of the power semiconductor device under the multi-field action. Through spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of microscopic parameters such as carrier mobility, carrier concentration, electric field intensity and the like in the device, a damage mechanism when the device generates a single event effect is clarified, and application of the power semiconductor device in a radiation environment is promoted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of radiation-resistant reinforcement of semiconductor components, in particular to the application technology of power semiconductor devices in extreme environments, and more particularly to a method for simulating the performance of semiconductor devices under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields. Background Art

[0002] In the aerospace field, power semiconductor devices are widely used in key tasks such as power management, signal processing and control systems. However, the complex space environment has brought severe challenges to semiconductor devices. For example, in the space environment, devices are extremely susceptible to space radiation, including total ionizing dose (TID) and single event effects (SEE). The total dose effect refers to the cumulative effect of defects in semiconductor materials caused by long-term exposure to radiation sources. This effect will cause the threshold voltage of the device to drift and the gain to decrease, and ultimately affect the switching speed and power loss of the device. As the total dose increases, the performance of the device will gradually deteriorate and may eventually fail. The single event effect refers to the collision of a single high-energy particle with the atoms in the device, which produces ionization energy deposition inside the device and generates a large number of carriers. Under the collection of the electric field, it causes instantaneous current pulses or breakdown. Single event effects can cause data loss, transient failures, and even permanent damage to the device. In addition, due to the extremely drastic temperature changes in the space environment and the high voltage requirements of the internal systems of the spacecraft, such as energy transmission and power control, some devices need to work in a high temperature and high voltage environment, which will also affect the working reliability of the device. Conducting irradiation tests under different conditions requires a lot of time and economic costs. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the single particle effects of the device from the simulation level.

[0003] At present, existing simulation studies mostly focus on the influence of a single environmental factor, such as single particle effect, total dose effect, etc. However, in real applications, power devices are often affected by multiple environmental factors at the same time, especially under extreme conditions such as radiation, high temperature, and high voltage. The comprehensive radiation effect of the device is more complicated, and the single particle sensitivity of the device may change significantly, which makes the evaluation of the actual performance of the device not comprehensive and accurate, resulting in an increased risk of failure.

[0004] In addition, in aerospace and other application scenarios, some power semiconductor devices often need to work under high temperature and high voltage conditions. Due to the complex interaction of radiation effects and factors such as temperature and voltage, experimental testing faces many challenges. First of all, it is necessary to consider the combined effects of multiple environmental factors in the experiment, which increases the cost and difficulty of the experiment. In addition, the annealing effect between the two irradiations increases the difficulty of conducting a systematic study of the synergistic effect. However, the existing simulation methods fail to effectively simulate the device behavior under these special conditions and cannot accurately evaluate their single-particle resistance performance. Summary of the invention

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention proposes a method for simulating the performance of semiconductor devices under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields, with the aim of providing a simulation basis for the application of power devices in complex temperature, voltage and radiation environments, and being able to comprehensively and accurately evaluate the performance of power devices.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is: a method for simulating the performance of a semiconductor device under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields, characterized in that it includes the following steps: S1 obtains the structural parameters and material properties of actual power semiconductor devices; S2 builds a two-dimensional structural model; S3 adds a physical model, builds an electrical model of the device, and applies a bias voltage to the device to obtain an electrical characteristic curve; Comparison of electrical characteristic curves in S4 and actual device product manual; Add temperature model to the physical model part of S5; S6 builds a total dose effect model and obtains the physical quantity distribution output file and electrical characteristic curve after the total dose effect occurs; S7 builds single event effect models; S8 obtains the output file and electrical curve of the semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electrical-radiation multi-fields; S9 performs radiation damage analysis to evaluate the device's radiation resistance.

[0007] Specifically, in step S1, the structural parameters include the process structure and size of the device, and the material properties include material type, doping concentration, and defect information.

[0008] Furthermore, the step S2 is specifically as follows: S21 constructs a structural model in semiconductor simulation software TCAD according to the parameters of the actual semiconductor device; S22 divides each area into grids and constructs two-dimensional simulation cells; S23 defines the material and doping concentration parameters of each region; S24 generates a gridded two-dimensional structural model.

[0009] In particular, a finer mesh is used for critical areas in semiconductor devices than normal meshes.

[0010] Furthermore, in step S3, the physical model includes a mobility model, a carrier statistics model, and a composite model, and the electrical characteristic curve includes a transfer characteristic, an output characteristic, and a breakdown characteristic.

[0011] After the physical model is built, a suitable bias voltage is applied to the device model for simulation, and voltage is applied to the source and drain of the device model respectively to obtain the electrical characteristic curve of the device model.

[0012] Furthermore, in step S4, the electrical characteristic curve obtained by the electrical simulation of the physical model of the device is compared with the electrical characteristic curve in the product manual of the actual device, and the comparison result is performed according to the following steps: If the error between the comparison result and the actual measurement result is within 20%, the next simulation is performed; If the error between the comparison result and the actual measurement result exceeds 20%, the parameters of the two-dimensional structure model are optimized in step S2 so that the electrical characteristic curve of the two-dimensional structure model is consistent with the electrical characteristic curve of the actual device, and then the next step is performed.

[0013] Furthermore, in step S5, the temperature model includes the ambient temperature and the device temperature, and both the ambient temperature and the device temperature are set to high temperature.

[0014] Furthermore, in step S6, the total dose effect modeling includes: Add an insulator charging model, define the device model insulation layer as a semiconductor, and define defect information; Define the irradiated particle type, radiation dose rate, bias state during irradiation, and irradiation time parameters.

[0015] Furthermore, the specific steps of step S7 are: S71 defines the LET, incident position and incident radius parameters of the incident particles; S72 sets the bias state of the device so that the device is in an off state, and sets the drain electrode voltage of the device to a high voltage; S73 inputs the physical quantity distribution output file after the total dose effect occurs, and maintains the temperature at a high temperature to cause the device to have a single particle effect.

[0016] Among them, LET is linear energy transfer, which is a parameter for evaluating the quality of rays.

[0017] Specifically, the high voltage range is greater than 150V, and the high temperature range is 393K~423K.

[0018] It is generally believed that when the temperature reaches 80% or more of the maximum operating temperature, it is regarded as high temperature operation. The maximum operating temperature of aerospace components is generally -55℃~150℃ (ie 118K~423K). Therefore, it is considered that when the temperature is 120℃ (ie 393K) or above, it is regarded as high temperature.

[0019] For power devices, voltage greater than or equal to 150V is generally considered high voltage.

[0020] Furthermore, in the semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electrical-radiation multi-field, single particle effect simulation under the coordinated action of high temperature, high pressure and total radiation dose is carried out, and the radiation damage is analyzed through the output files and electrical curves to evaluate the radiation resistance of the device. Beneficial effects of the present invention: 1. This method can accurately simulate the single particle effect under the synergistic effect of multiple environmental factors, helping researchers analyze the performance degradation law and failure mechanism of power semiconductor devices in complex radiation environments.

[0021] 2. Simulation can identify possible performance degradation mechanisms in advance and reduce unnecessary irradiation experimental tests, thereby reducing R&D costs and improving R&D efficiency.

[0022] 3. Through simulation, the single-particle performance of the device in a complex environment can be evaluated, providing a simulation basis for the subsequent radiation hardening of the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. The drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present invention, they are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the drawings without paying creative work.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a flow chart of the method for simulating the performance of a semiconductor device under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields of the present invention; Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of a P-GaN HEMT device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A simulation cell diagram of a P-GaN HEMT device in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4The electrical characteristic curve-transfer characteristic curve of the P-GaN HEMT device in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 The electrical characteristic curve-breakdown characteristic curve of the P-GaN HEMT device in the embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 Comparison of transfer characteristics simulation results at different temperatures in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 7 Comparison of simulation results of electron mobility at different temperatures in the embodiments of the present invention; Figure 8 The total dose effect simulation result in the embodiment of the present invention - a comparison diagram of transfer characteristics before and after irradiation; Fig. 9 The total dose effect simulation result in the embodiment of the present invention - a comparison diagram of the fixed charge concentration of the insulating layer before and after irradiation; Fig.10 This is a comparison diagram of single-particle effects at 150V voltage under the high-temperature, high-voltage and total-dose synergistic model of an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.11 A comparison diagram of single-particle effects at 210V voltage in a semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.12 This is a comparison diagram of single-particle effects at 220V voltage in a semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig.13 This is a distribution diagram of internal electron mobility at the same time in a semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, the process of a method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: S1 obtains the structural parameters and material properties of actual power semiconductor devices; S2 builds a two-dimensional structural model; S3 adds a physical model, builds an electrical model of the device, and applies a bias voltage to the device to obtain an electrical characteristic curve; Comparison of electrical characteristic curves in S4 and actual device product manual; Add temperature model to the physical model part of S5; S6 builds a total dose effect model and obtains the physical quantity distribution output file and electrical characteristic curve after the total dose effect occurs; S7 builds single event effect models; S8 obtains the output file and electrical curve of the semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electrical-radiation multi-fields; S9 performs radiation damage analysis to evaluate the device's radiation resistance.

[0027] like Figure 2 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the power semiconductor device is a P-type gate GaN HEMT (gallium nitride high electron mobility transistor) device, and its process structure is a horizontal structure, and from left to right are the source, gate and drain. In the simulation method of this embodiment, the substrate part is omitted, and the bottom of the device is grounded. The structure and materials of the device from top to bottom are: electrode and insulating layer, P-GaN cap layer, AlGaN barrier layer, GaN channel layer and GaN buffer layer.

[0028] like Figure 3 As shown, after obtaining the structure and material properties of the power semiconductor device, meshing is performed in computer-aided design software (TCAD) to construct a two-dimensional simulation cell diagram of the device. It is necessary to divide the key areas in the device into fine meshes. In this embodiment, the lateral length of the entire device is set to 10.5μm, the gate length and the P-GaN cap layer length are 2μm, and the source and drain lengths are 0.5μm. The thickness of the entire device is 2.415μm, of which the thickness of the source and drain electrodes is 0.2μm, the gate thickness is 0.13μm, the P-GaN cap layer thickness is 0.07μm, the AlGaN layer thickness is 0.015μm, the GaN channel layer thickness is 0.2μm, and the GaN buffer layer thickness is 2μm. After defining the structural dimensions and materials of the device, the doping concentration, defect information and other parameters in each part of the device are defined to obtain the initial two-dimensional structural model of the P-type gate GaN HEMT device.

[0029] Physical models, including mobility model, carrier statistics model, recombination model, etc., are added to the constructed two-dimensional structure model of the P-type gate GaN HEMT device, and a suitable bias voltage is applied to the device structure model for electrical simulation. Appropriate voltages are applied to the source and drain of the device model respectively, so as to obtain the electrical characteristic curves of the device model, including transfer characteristics, output characteristics, and breakdown characteristics.

[0030] The electrical characteristic curve obtained by the electrical simulation is compared with the electrical characteristic curve and electrical parameter information in the actual device product manual. If the deviation is within 20%, it is considered to be consistent, and the next simulation can be carried out directly; if the deviation exceeds 20%, it is considered to be inconsistent, and the various parameters defined when constructing the two-dimensional structure model of the device are optimized. The optimization method includes modifying the device structure, doping concentration, defect information and other parameters until the electrical simulation curve of the device model is consistent with the electrical curve given in the manual before the next simulation is carried out.

[0031] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the electrical curve obtained after optimization is consistent with the electrical characteristic curve in the actual device product manual. According to the product manual, the threshold voltage of the device is about 1.8V and the breakdown voltage is about 650V. The electrical characteristics of the optimized device model are consistent with the electrical characteristics of the actual device in the product manual. The simulation can accurately reflect the radiation resistance of the real semiconductor device.

[0032] After the electrical model of the device is constructed, a temperature model is added to the device model to simulate the influence of temperature. The ambient temperature and the device temperature are set to the required temperature. It is generally believed that when the temperature reaches 80% or more of the maximum operating temperature, it is considered to be high temperature operation. The operating temperature of aerospace devices is generally -55°C~150°C (i.e. 118K~423K), so it is considered that the temperature is 120°C (i.e. 393K) or above, which is considered to be high temperature. In this embodiment, the ambient temperature and the device temperature are both set to 400K.

[0033] like Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, after adding the temperature model to the device model, electrical simulation is performed. In this embodiment, the temperature parameters are set to 300K and 400K for simulation comparison, and the transfer characteristic curve is generated. The transfer characteristic of the device is significantly degraded at a temperature of 400K, which is reflected in the significant decrease in the saturated drain current and the carrier mobility. The higher the temperature, the higher the carrier scattering rate, which causes the mobility to decrease and thus the saturated drain current of the device to decrease, verifying the consistency of the simulation results with the experimental results.

[0034] After the temperature model simulation results are compared and consistent with the experimental results, the total dose effect modeling is performed under high temperature conditions. In this embodiment, a total dose model is added under the condition of a temperature of 400K, an insulator charging model is added to the total dose model, the device model insulating layer is defined as a semiconductor, and defect information is defined; the radiated particle type, radiation dose rate, bias state during irradiation, and irradiation time parameters are defined.

[0035] In this implementation, the total dose model is as follows: (1) In terms of material parameters, first, the insulating layer of the device needs to be defined as a semiconductor, and then the bulk insulation charge and discharge model is defined for this area, and the relevant defect information is set. In addition, the interface insulation charge and discharge model needs to be defined at the interface between the insulator and the semiconductor, and the relevant defect information is set. (2) In terms of irradiation parameters, the type of irradiation source is defined. In this example, Co60 is selected as the irradiation source, and the dose rate is 50rad / s. In addition, the bias state and irradiation time of the device during irradiation need to be set. In this example, the drain voltage of the device is set to 0.5V, the gate voltage is set to 5V, the irradiation time is set to 20000s, and the total irradiation dose is 1Mrad. After the model is built, an irradiation experiment is carried out. After the irradiation is completed, the obtained structure file is saved.

[0036] like Figure 8 As shown, the electrical properties of the device before and after irradiation were tested, and the transfer characteristic curve of the total dose effect simulation was obtained. After 1 Mrad of Co60 irradiation, the saturated drain current of the device increased slightly, and the threshold voltage remained almost unchanged.

[0037] like Fig. 9 As shown in the total dose effect simulation results, the fixed positive charge concentration in the device insulating layer increases significantly after irradiation. Since the gate metal part of the device blocks the irradiation from affecting the area below the gate, it has almost no effect on the two-dimensional electron gas part below the gate, so the electrical performance is almost not affected. This result is consistent with the experimental results of the prior art.

[0038] On the basis of the total dose model, a single particle effect model of the device is constructed, and a device model of high temperature, high voltage and total dose synergistic effect is constructed to simulate the single particle effect. In this embodiment, the single particle effect model includes two parts: (1) In terms of particle characteristics, the basic parameters of heavy ions are defined, the LET (linear energy transfer) value is set to 84MeV·cm2 / mg, the particle incident radius is set to 0.05μm, and the incident position is selected to be 0.5μm near the drain side of the gate. According to the previous simulation results, this position is a sensitive position for heavy ion incidence. (2) In terms of bias conditions, the device is set to the off state, that is, the gate voltage is 0V, and the drain voltage is set to high voltage H_V.

[0039] For power devices, it is generally considered that a voltage greater than or equal to 150V is a high voltage. The embodiments of the present invention simulate the single particle effect under high voltages of 150V, 210V and 220V under the synergistic effect of high temperature and total dose through experimental simulation.

[0040] Specifically, the semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields is simulated, and after the irradiation is completed, the obtained structure file is saved.

[0041] like Fig.10 As shown, this embodiment is a single-particle simulation, specifically a comparison of the single-particle transient waveform of the device model at room temperature (300K) and the single-particle transient waveform of the device under the conditions of high temperature (400K) and total dose coordination. The drain high voltage H_V is set to 150V. It can be seen from the figure that under the conditions of high temperature and total dose coordination, the transient pulse current peak of the device is reduced, while the rise time and pulse width remain almost unchanged.

[0042] like Fig.11 As shown, this embodiment is simulated under the condition of a voltage of 210V, and it can be obtained that the device undergoes single-particle burnout under normal temperature conditions, while the device does not burn out under the conditions of a high temperature of 400K and a coordinated total dose. Therefore, through simulation, it can be obtained that under the coordinated effect of high temperature and total dose, the single-particle burnout sensitivity of the device is reduced.

[0043] like Fig.12 As shown, this embodiment is a simulation result under the synergistic effect of high temperature, high voltage and total dose. The burnout threshold voltage of the device is 220V, which is improved compared with that under normal temperature conditions.

[0044] like Fig.13 As shown, this embodiment performs simulation at a voltage of 210V, analyzes the distribution of carrier mobility inside the device, and compares it with the carrier mobility at the moment of single particle burning under normal temperature conditions. Through simulation, it can be obtained that under the same high voltage, at the moment of 4e-9s, the carrier mobility under the conditions of high temperature and total dose coordination is smaller than the carrier mobility under normal temperature conditions, so the transient current generated is smaller, and single particle burning is less likely to occur. The simulation of this embodiment can explore the damage mechanism after irradiation.

[0045] The semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multiple fields constructed by this embodiment can accurately simulate the single-particle effect of the device under the combined action of different temperatures, different doses and different voltages, which not only saves experimental costs, but also helps us analyze the damage mechanism of the device when the single-particle effect occurs under the action of multiple fields, thereby promoting the application of power semiconductor devices in radiation environments.

[0046] Although the preferred implementation cases of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific implementation methods. The above-mentioned specific implementation methods are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Under the guidance of the present invention, ordinary technicians in this field can also make many forms of specific changes without departing from the scope of protection of the invention spirit and claims, which all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1 obtains the structural parameters and material properties of actual power semiconductor devices; S2 builds a two-dimensional structural model; S3 adds a physical model, builds an electrical model of the device, and applies a bias voltage to the device to obtain an electrical characteristic curve; Comparison of electrical characteristic curves in S4 and actual device product manual; Add temperature model to the physical model part of S5; S6 builds a total dose effect model and obtains the physical quantity distribution output file and electrical characteristic curve after the total dose effect occurs; S7 builds single event effect models; S8 obtains the output file and electrical curve of the semiconductor device performance simulation model under the action of thermal-electrical-radiation multi-fields; S9 performs radiation damage analysis to evaluate the device's radiation resistance.

2. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: In the step S1, the structural parameters include the process structure and size of the device, and the material properties include material type, doping concentration, and defect information.

3. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: The step S2 is specifically as follows: S21 constructs a structural model in semiconductor simulation software TCAD according to the parameters of the actual semiconductor device; S22 divides each area into grids and constructs two-dimensional simulation cells; S23 defines the material and doping concentration parameters of each region; S24 generates a gridded two-dimensional structural model.

4. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S3, the physical model includes a mobility model, a carrier statistics model and a composite model, and the electrical characteristic curve includes a transfer characteristic, an output characteristic and a breakdown characteristic.

5. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S4, the electrical characteristic curve obtained in step S3 is compared with the electrical characteristic curve in the actual device product manual, and the comparison result is obtained according to the following steps: If the comparison result error is within 20%, the next simulation is performed; If the comparison result error exceeds 20%, the parameters of the two-dimensional structure model are optimized in step S2 so that the electrical characteristic curve of the two-dimensional structure model is consistent with the electrical characteristic curve of the actual device, and then the next step is performed.

6. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S5, the temperature model includes the ambient temperature and the device temperature, and both the ambient temperature and the device temperature are set to high temperature.

7. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high temperature range is 393K~423K.

8. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S6, the total dose effect modeling includes: Add an insulator charging model, define the device model insulation layer as a semiconductor, and define defect information; Define the irradiated particle type, radiation dose rate, bias state during irradiation, and irradiation time parameters.

9. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1, characterized in that: The specific steps of step S7 are: S71 defines the LET, incident position and incident radius parameters of the incident particles; S72 sets the bias state of the device so that the device is in an off state, and sets the drain electrode voltage of the device to a high voltage; S73 inputs the physical quantity distribution output file after the total dose effect occurs, and maintains the temperature at a high temperature to cause the device to have a single particle effect.

10. The method for simulating semiconductor device performance under the action of thermal-electric-radiation multi-fields according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that: The high voltage is greater than 150V, and the high temperature range is 393K~423K.

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