Application of the floating-gate technique to the study of the n-MOSFET gate current evolution due to hot-carrier aging

The evolution of the gate current-voltage (I/sub g/-V/sub gs/) characteristics of n-MOSFETs induced by DC stresses at different gate voltage over drain voltage (V/sub ds/) ratios is studied by the floating-gate (FG) measurement technique. It is shown that the I/sub g/-V/sub gs/ curves are always lowered after aging, and that the kinetics are dependent on the aging conditions. A time power law is representative of the V/sub gs/=V/sub ds/ case. It is demonstrated that electron traps are created in the oxide by both hot-hole and hot-electron injection stresses. They are not present in the devices before aging. They can be easily charged and discharged by short electron and hole injections, respectively.< >