Flicker Noise Performance on Thick and Thin Oxide FinFETs

Abstract

1/f noise was characterized on Fin Field-Effect Transistors (FinFETs) to compare noise performance of CORE and IO devices of a technology node. Thin FinFETs (CORE devices with Equivalent Oxide Thickness (EOT) 3 nm and long channel L > 100 nm). At low gate bias condition [( $\mathsf {V_{g}} -\mathsf{V_{{{{th}}}}} \le 0.15$ V), after normalization with respect to device area and EOT], noise level of thin FinFETs shows almost tenfold larger than that of thick FinFETs. Moreover, it is found that the discrepancy of noise measured at linear and saturation condition is more significant for FinFETs with shorter channel length. The bias-dependent noise was well fitted by unified model. The extracted defects concentration of thin FinFETs is ~10 times larger than that of thick FinFETs. Finally, flicker noise spectra measured after bias temperature instability stress were compared to that of before stress, the trap concentrations were calculated, and found that defects primarily presents in the metal/high-k interface and have more impact on noise performance if EOT is decreased.