Size difference in dielectric-breakdown-induced epitaxy in narrow n- and p-metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors

Abstract

The physical dimension of the hillocks formed during gate-dielectric-breakdown-induced epitaxy (DBIE) is found to be dependent on transistor type. When narrow transistors of area between 3.0×10−10 and 8.0×10−10 cm2 with a gate oxide ranging from 16 to 33 Å electrically stressed in inversion mode under the same accelerated stress condition, the DBIEs formed in the n-metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) are found to be always about 2 times or more larger than that in the p-MOSFET. The difference in the DBIE dimensions is primarily attributed to a larger percolation leakage current in the n-MOSFET during the gate oxide breakdown transient.