Low Frequency Noise Characteristics in 16 nm FinFET Technology

Abstract

The characteristics of low frequency noise are described in 16 nm FinFETs. In this paper, two groups of FinFETs are compared to investigate differences of low frequency noise spectra for thin (EOT=1.5 nm) and thick (EOT=3 nm) gate oxide devices, measured in liner region at low gate bias. The extracted trap density derived from thin oxide is about 2 times higher than thick oxide, when its location is close to interface of silicon channel, because the fabrication technologies differ in HKMG loop. The charge pumping measurement results agree well with low frequency noise performance for both thin and thick gate oxide devices. Low frequency noise is also analyzed using the unified model including McWhorter's carrier number and Hooge's mobility fluctuation in n-type and p-type channel devices. It is found that carrier number fluctuation is dominated in both n-type short channel device with thin gate oxide (SC nFinFET) and long channel device with thick gate oxide (NIO). Mobility fluctuation is dominated in both p-type short channel device with thin gate oxide (SC pFinFET) and long channel device with thick gate oxide (PIO). Experiment results show the index factor (IF) of frequency in SC nFinFET is 2% lower than LC nFinFET. Furthermore, due to the short channel effects, normalized low frequency noise level of short channel is better than long channel device.