Analyses of the Radiation-Caused Characteristics Change in SOI MOSFETs Using Field Shield Isolation

Abstract

Reliability against radiation is an important issue in silicon on insulator metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (SOI MOSFETs) used in satellites and nuclear power plants and so forth which are severely exposed to radiation. Radiation-caused characteristic change related to the isolation-edge in an irradiated environment was analyzed on SOI MOSFETs. Moreover short channel effects for an irradiated environment were investigated by simulations. It was revealed that the leakage current which was observed in local oxidation of silicon (LOCOS) isolated SOI MOSFETs was successfully suppressed by using field shield isolation. Simulated potential indicated that the potential rise at the LOCOS edge can not be seen in the case of field shield isolation edge which does not have physical isolation. Also it was found that the threshold voltage shift caused by radiation in short channel regime is severer than that in long channel regime. In transistors with a channel length of 0.18 µm, a potential rise of the body region by radiation-induced trapped holes can be seen in comparison with that of 1.0 µm. As a result, we must consider these effects for designing deep submicron devices used in an irradiated environment.