A model for hot-electron-induced MOSFET linear-current degradation based on mobility reduction due to interface-state generation

A simple model for the hot-electron degradation of MOSFET linear-current drive is developed on the basis of the reduction of the inversion-layer mobility due to the generation of interface states. The model can explain the observed dependence of the device hot-electron lifetime on the effective channel length and oxide thickness by taking into account both the relative nonscalability of the localized damage region and the dependence of the linear-current degradation on the effective vertical electric field E/sub eff/. The model is verified for deep-submicrometer non-LDD n-channel MOSFETs with L/sub eff/=0.2-1.5 mu m and T/sub ox/=3.6-21.0 nm. From the correlation between linear-current and charge-pumping degradation, the scattering coefficient alpha , which relates the number of generated interface states to the corresponding amount of inversion-layer mobility reduction, can be extracted and its dependence on E/sub eff/ determined. Using this linear-current degradation model, existing hot-electron lifetime prediction models are modified to account explicitly for the effects of L/sub eff/ and T/sub ox/.< >