Study of subthreshold behavior of FinFet

The study of subthreshold behavior of Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) is critically important in the case of submicron devices for the successful design and implementation of digital circuits. Fin Field Effect Transistor (FinFET) is considered to be an alternate MOSFET structure in the deep sub-micron regime. A 3D Poisson equation solver is employed to study the subthreshold behavior of FinFET. Based on potential distribution inside the fin, the appropriate band bending and the subthreshold value called the S-factor is calculated. It is observed that the S-factor of the device increases as the channel width, Tfin increases. This is attributed to the fact that the change in the band bending is less than the change in the applied gate voltage. This is only a first order analysis; hence the device is simulated in a device simulator Taurus. It is observed that the S-factor increases exponentially for channel lengths Lg \u3c 1.5Tfin. Further, for a constant Lg, the S factor is observed to increase as Tfin increases. An empirical relationship between S, Lg and Tfin is developed based on the simulation results, which can be used as a rule of thumb for determining the S-factor of devices

Oxygen-insertion Technology for CMOS Performance Enhancement

Until 2003, the semiconductor industry followed Dennard scaling rules to improve complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistor performance. However, performance gains with further reductions in transistor gate length are limited by physical effects that do not scale commensurately with device dimensions: short-channel effects (SCE) due to gate-leakage-limited gate-oxide thickness scaling, channel mobility degradation due to enhanced vertical electric fields, increased parasitic resistances due to reductions in source/drain (S/D) contact area, and increased variability in transistor performance due to random dopant fluctuation (RDF) effects and gate work function variations (WFV). These emerging scaling issues, together with increased process complexity and cost, pose severe challenges to maintaining the exponential scaling of transistor dimensions. This dissertation discusses the benefits of oxygen-insertion (OI) technology, a CMOS performance booster, for overcoming these challenges. The benefit of OI technology to mitigate the increase in sheet resistance ($R_{sh}$) with decreasing junction depth ($X_J$) for ultra-shallow-junctions (USJs) relevant for deep-sub-micron planar CMOS transistors is assessed through the fabrication of $R_{sh}$ test structures, electrical characterization, and technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. Experimental and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) analyses indicate that OI technology can facilitate low-resistivity USJ formation by reducing $R_{sh}$ and $X_J$ due to retarded transient-enhanced-diffusion (TED) effects and enhanced dopant retention during post-implantation thermal annealing. It is also shown that a low-temperature-oxide (LTO) capping can increase $R_{sh}$ unfavorably due to lower dopant activation levels, which can be alleviated by OI technology. This dissertation extends the evaluation of OI technology to advanced FinFET technology, targeting 7/8-nm low power technology node. A bulk-Si FinFET design comprising a super-steep retrograde (SSR) fin channel doping profile achievable with OI technology is studied by three-dimensional (3-D) TCAD simulations. As compared with the conventional bulk-Si (control) FinFET design with a heavily-doped fin channel doping profile, SSR FinFETs can achieve higher $I_{on}/I_{off}$ ratios and reduce the sensitivity of device performance to variations due to the lightly doped fin channel. As compared with the SOI FinFET design, SSR FinFETs can achieve similarly low $V_{DD,min}$ for 6T-SRAM cell yield estimation. Both SSR and SOI design can provide for as much as 100 mV reduction in $V_{DD,min}$ compared with the control FinFET design. Overall, the SSR FinFET design that can be achieved with OI technology is demonstrated to be a cheaper alternative to the SOI FinFET technology for extending CMOS scaling beyond the 10-nm node. Finally, this dissertation investigates the benefits of OI technology for reducing the Schottky barrier height ($\Phi_{Bp}$) of a Pt/Ti/p-type Si metal-semiconductor (M/S) contact, which can be expected to help reduce the specific contact resistivity for a p-type silicon contact. Electrical measurements of back-to-back Schottky diodes, SIMS, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) show that the reduction in $\Phi_{Bp}$ is associated with enhanced Ti 2p and Si 2p core energy level shifts. OI technology is shown to favor low-$\Phi_{Bp}$ Pt monosilicide formation during forming gas anneal (FGA) by suppressing the grain boundary diffusion of Pt atoms into the crystalline Si substrate

Combining dynamic modelling codes with medium energy ion scattering measurements to characterise plasma doping

Plasma doping ion implantation (PLAD) is becoming increasingly important in the manufacture of advanced semiconductor device structures but a fundamental understanding of PLAD is complicated. A model of PLAD into planar substrates has been constructed using the one dimensional computer code TRIDYN to predict collision cascades and hence substrate compositional changes during implantation. Medium Energy Ion Scattering (MEIS) measurements of dopant profiles in PLAD processed samples were used to calibrate the input ion and neutral fluxes to the model. Rules could then be proposed for how post implant profiles should be modified by a cleaning step. This learning was applied to a three dimensional TRI3DYN based model for PLAD implants into FinFET like structures. Comparison of the model to dopant profile measurements made by time of flight (TOF)-MEIS revealed the angular distributions of neutral species and doping mechanisms acting in three dimensional structures

Caractérisation électrique et modélisation du transport dans matériaux et dispositifs SOI avancés

This thesis is dedicated to the electrical characterization and transport modeling in advanced SOImaterials and devices for ultimate micro-nano-electronics. SOI technology is an efficient solution tothe technical challenges facing further downscaling and integration. Our goal was to developappropriate characterization methods and determine the key parameters. Firstly, the conventionalpseudo-MOSFET characterization was extended to heavily-doped SOI wafers and an adapted modelfor parameters extraction was proposed. We developed a nondestructive electrical method to estimatethe quality of bonding interface in metal-bonded wafers for 3D integration. In ultra-thin fully-depletedSOI MOSFETs, we evidenced the parasitic bipolar effect induced by band-to-band tunneling, andproposed new methods to extract the bipolar gain. We investigated multiple-gate transistors byfocusing on the coupling effect in inversion-mode vertical double-gate SOI FinFETs. An analyticalmodel was proposed and subsequently adapted to the full depletion region of junctionless SOI FinFETs.We also proposed a compact model of carrier profile and adequate parameter extraction techniques forjunctionless nanowires.Cette thèse est consacrée à la caractérisation et la modélisation du transport électronique dans des matériaux et dispositifs SOI avancés pour la microélectronique. Tous les matériaux innovants étudiés(ex: SOI fortement dopé, plaques obtenues par collage etc.) et les dispositifs SOI sont des solutions possibles aux défis technologiques liés à la réduction de taille et à l'intégration. Dans ce contexte,l'extraction des paramètres électriques clés, comme la mobilité, la tension de seuil et les courants de fuite est importante. Tout d'abord, la caractérisation classique pseudo-MOSFET a été étendue aux plaques SOI fortement dopées et un modèle adapté pour l'extraction de paramètres a été proposé. Nous avons également développé une méthode électrique pour estimer la qualité de l'interface de collage pour des plaquettes métalliques. Nous avons montré l'effet bipolaire parasite dans des MOSFET SOI totalement désertés. Il est induit par l’effet tunnel bande-à-bande et peut être entièrement supprimé par une polarisation arrière. Sur cette base, une nouvelle méthode a été développée pour extraire le gain bipolaire. Enfin, nous avons étudié l'effet de couplage dans le FinFET SOI double grille, en mode d’inversion. Un modèle analytique a été proposé et a été ensuite adapté aux FinFETs sans jonction(junctionless). Nous avons mis au point un modèle compact pour le profil des porteurs et des techniques d’extraction de paramètres

Simulation of FinFET Structures

The intensive downscaling of MOS transistors has been the major driving force behind the aggressive increases in transistor density and performance, leading to more chip functionality at higher speeds. While on the other side the reduction in MOSFET dimensions leads to the close proximity between source and drain, which in turn reduces the ability of the gate electrode to control the potential distribution and current flow in the channel region and also results in some undesirable effects called the short-channel effects. These limitations associated with downscaling of MOSFET device geometries have lead device designers and researchers to number of innovative techniques which include the use of different device structures, different channel materials, different gate-oxide materials, different processes such as shallow trench isolation, source/drain silicidation, lightly doped extensions etc. to enable controlled device scaling to smaller dimensions. A lot of research and development works have been done in these and related fields and more remains to be carried out in order to exploit these devices for the wider applications

Design Strategies for Ultralow Power 10nm FinFETs

Integrated circuits and microprocessor chips have become integral part of our everyday life to such an extent that it is difficult to imagine a system related to consumer electronics, health care, public transportation, household application without these small components. The heart of these circuits is, the metal oxide field-effect transistor (MOSFET) which is used as a switch. The dimensions of these transistors have been scaled from a few micrometers to few tens of nanometer to achieve higher performance, lower power consumption and low cost of production. According to the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS), beyond 32 nm technology node, planer devices will not be able to fulfill the strict leakage requirement anymore due to overpowering short channel effects and need of multi-gate transistor is inevitable. The motivation of the thesis therefore is to investigate techniques to engineer threshold voltage of a tri-gate FinFET for low power and ultra-low power applications. The complexity of physics involved in 3D nano- devices encourages use of advanced simulation tools. Thus, Technology Computer Aided Design Tools (TCAD) are needed to perform device optimization and support device and process integration engineers. Below 20nm technology node, the Fin-shaped Field Effect Transistor or Tri-gate transistor requires extensive use of 3D TCAD simulations. The multi-gate devices such as FinFETs are considered to be one of the most promising devices for Ultra Large Scale Integration (ULSI). This device structural design with additional gate electrodes and channel surfaces offers dynamic threshold voltage control. In addition, it can provide better short channel performance and reduced leakage. In this study, new design strategies for 10nm node NMOS bulk FinFET transistors are investigated to meet low power (LP) (50pA/μ

Miniaturized Transistors

What is the future of CMOS? Sustaining increased transistor densities along the path of Moore's Law has become increasingly challenging with limited power budgets, interconnect bandwidths, and fabrication capabilities. In the last decade alone, transistors have undergone significant design makeovers; from planar transistors of ten years ago, technological advancements have accelerated to today's FinFETs, which hardly resemble their bulky ancestors. FinFETs could potentially take us to the 5-nm node, but what comes after it? From gate-all-around devices to single electron transistors and two-dimensional semiconductors, a torrent of research is being carried out in order to design the next transistor generation, engineer the optimal materials, improve the fabrication technology, and properly model future devices. We invite insight from investigators and scientists in the field to showcase their work in this Special Issue with research papers, short communications, and review articles that focus on trends in micro- and nanotechnology from fundamental research to applications

Contact and source/drain engineering for advanced III-V field-effect transistors

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

A statistical study of time dependent reliability degradation of nanoscale MOSFET devices

Charge trapping at the channel interface is a fundamental issue that adversely affects the reliability of metal-oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) devices. This effect represents a new source of statistical variability as these devices enter the nano-scale era. Recently, charge trapping has been identified as the dominant phenomenon leading to both random telegraph noise (RTN) and bias temperature instabilities (BTI). Thus, understanding the interplay between reliability and statistical variability in scaled transistors is essential to the implementation of a ‘reliability-aware’ complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit design. In order to investigate statistical reliability issues, a methodology based on a simulation flow has been developed in this thesis that allows a comprehensive and multi-scale study of charge-trapping phenomena and their impact on transistor and circuit performance. The proposed methodology is accomplished by using the Gold Standard Simulations (GSS) technology computer-aided design (TCAD)-based design tool chain co-optimization (DTCO) tool chain. The 70 nm bulk IMEC MOSFET and the 22 nm Intel fin-shape field effect transistor (FinFET) have been selected as targeted devices. The simulation flow starts by calibrating the device TCAD simulation decks against experimental measurements. This initial phase allows the identification of the physical structure and the doping distributions in the vertical and lateral directions based on the modulation in the inversion layer’s depth as well as the modulation of short channel effects. The calibration is further refined by taking into account statistical variability to match the statistical distributions of the transistors’ figures of merit obtained by measurements. The TCAD simulation investigation of RTN and BTI phenomena is then carried out in the presence of several sources of statistical variability. The study extends further to circuit simulation level by extracting compact models from the statistical TCAD simulation results. These compact models are collected in libraries, which are then utilised to investigate the impact of the BTI phenomenon, and its interaction with statistical variability, in a six transistor-static random access memory (6T-SRAM) cell. At the circuit level figures of merit, such as the static noise margin (SNM), and their statistical distributions are evaluated. The focus of this thesis is to highlight the importance of accounting for the interaction between statistical variability and statistical reliability in the simulation of advanced CMOS devices and circuits, in order to maintain predictivity and obtain a quantitative agreement with a measured data. The main findings of this thesis can be summarised by the following points: Based on the analysis of the results, the dispersions of VT and ΔVT indicate that a change in device technology must be considered, from the planar MOSFET platform to a new device architecture such as FinFET or SOI. This result is due to the interplay between a single trap charge and statistical variability, which has a significant impact on device operation and intrinsic parameters as transistor dimensions shrink further. The ageing process of transistors can be captured by using the trapped charge density at the interface and observing the VT shift. Moreover, using statistical analysis one can highlight the extreme transistors and their probable effect on the circuit or system operation. The influence of the passgate (PG) transistor in a 6T-SRAM cell gives a different trend of the mean static noise margin

Benchmarking the screen-grid field effect transistor (SGrFET) for digital applications

Continuous scaling of CMOS technology has now reached a state of evolution, therefore, novel device structures and new materials have been proposed for this purpose. The Screen- Grid field Effect Transistor is introduced as a as a novel device structure that takes advantage of several innovative aspects of the FinFET while introducing new geometrical feature to improve a FET device performance. The idea is to design a FET which is as small as possible without down-scaling issues, at the same time satisfying optimum device performance for both analogue and digital applications. The analogue operation of the SGrFET shows some promising results which make it interesting to continue the investigation on SGrFET for digital applications. The SGrFET addresses some of the concerns of scaled CMOS such as Drain Induce Barrier Lowering and sub-threshold slope, by offering the superior short channel control. In this work in order to evaluate SGrFET performance, the proposed device compared to the classical MOSFET and provides comprehensive benchmarking with finFETs. Both AC and DC simulations are presented using TaurusTM and MediciTM simulators which are commercially available via Synopsis. Initial investigation on the novel device with the single gate structure is carried out. The multi-geometrical characteristic of the proposed device is used to reduce parasitic capacitance and increase ION/IOFF ratio to improve device performance in terms of switching characteristic in different circuit structures. Using TaurusTM AC simulation, a small signal circuit is introduced for SGrFET and evaluated using both extracted small signal elements from TaurusTM and Y-parameter extraction. The SGrFET allows for the unique behavioural characteristics of an independent-gate device. Different configurations of double-gate device are introduced and benchmark against the finFET serving as a double gate device. Five different logic circuits, the complementary and N-inverter, the NOR, NAND and XOR, and controllable Current Mirror circuits are simulated with finFET and SGrFET and their performance compared. Some digital key merits are extracted for both finFET and SGrFET such as power dissipation, noise margin and switching speed to compare the devices under the investigation performance against each other. It is shown that using multi-geometrical feature in SGrFET together with its multi-gate operation can greatly decrease the number of device needed for the logic function without speed degradation and it can be used as a potential candidate in mix-circuit configuration as a multi-gate device. The initial fabrication steps of the novel device explained together with some in-house fabrication process using E-Beam lithography. The fabricated SGrFET is characterised via electrical measurements and used in a circuit configuration