Evaluation of techniques for characterizing virgin and γ-irradiated power VDMOSFETs

Abstract

There is a continued interest in hardening devices against irradiation which encounter harsh radiation environment. Charge buildup and generation of interface states are the most important degradation factors in VDMOSFETs. They may occur in the course of device fabrication or later during device operation causing reliability problems. Split C– V, charge pumping and subthreshold slope-midgap techniques were applied for understanding the mechanisms that lead to both buildup and annealing of irradiation-induced defects. This is necessary due to the assessment and improvement of the response of devices in an ionizing radiation environment. The results obtained by cited methods are compared to propound their advantages and drawbacks.