Hot-carrier stress effects on gate-induced-drain leakage current in n-channel MOSFETs studied by hydrogen/deuterium isotope effect

The degradation of gate-induced-drain leakage (GIDL) current under hot-carrier stress (HCS) has been studied in n-channel MOSFETs that were annealed in hydrogen (H) or deuterium (D). It is found that the degradation of GIDL current (I_GIDL) can be effectively suppressed by deuterium passivation of interface traps. By using the H/D isotope effect, the impacts of oxide charge trapping (ΔN_ox) and interface trap generation (ΔN_it) on I_GIDL are successfully separated. The results indicate that, depending on stress and measurement conditions, I_GIDL may increase or decrease under HCS, ΔN_ox alters I_GIDL at high electric fields by varying the band-to-band tunneling current. ΔN_it alters I_GIDL at a low electric field by introducing a trap-assisted leakage current component. Furthermore, evidence of hole trapping at the peak substrate current stress is indisputably presented for the first time and its impact on I_GIDL is discussed.