A Fast $V_{th}$ Measurement (FVM) Technique for NBTI Behavior Characterization

Abstract

In this letter, a novel fast threshold voltage ( ${V}_{th}$ ) measurement (FVM) technique is proposed and demonstrated, which could perform ${I}$ – ${V}$ characterization of MOSFETs within 1 ns. With the advanced FVM technique, down to 1-ns negative biased temperature instability (NBTI) characterization was successfully carried out for Si pFinFETs at 14-nm technology node. It is experimentally confirmed that the nano-second-level fast recoverable traps, which are generated during NBTI stress, could lead to the underestimation of ${V}_{th}$ degradation under micro-second-level measurement speed. Furthermore, it is found that even when the ${V}_{th}$ measurement is performed within 1 ns after the stress removal, it is still not fast enough to be the real recovery-free measurement. Yet, with the proposed FVM technique, NBTI characteristics could be characterized more accurately and closer to its intrinsic behaviors.