Evolution of low frequency noise and noise variability through CMOS bulk technology nodes from 0.5 μm down to 20 nm

• Published in: Solid-state electronics Vol. 95; pp. 28 - 31
• Main Authors: Ioannidis, E.G., Haendler, S., Theodorou, C.G., Lasserre, S., Dimitriadis, C.A., Ghibaudo, G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.05.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; CMOS; Density; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Electronics; Equivalence; Evolution; Exact sciences and technology; Integrated circuits; Low frequencies; Low-frequency noise; Miniaturization; Noise; Oxides; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Statistical noise variability; CMOS; Statistical noise variability; Low-frequency noise; Thickness; Oxide layer; Complementary MOS technology; PMOS technology; 1/f noise; Miniaturization; Planar technology
• ISSN: 0038-1101; 1879-2405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sse.2014.03.002

•Low frequency noise and its variability through CMOS planar bulk technologies.•Evolution with technology generation of oxide trap density as a function of EOT.•Improvement of LFN statistical variability with decrease of EOT. In this paper, we present a thorough investigation of low frequency noise (LFN) and statistical noise variability through CMOS planar bulk technologies manufactured along the past 12years and, for the first time, from the most recent 20nm CMOS bulk technology node. The experimental results are well interpreted by the carrier number with correlated mobility fluctuation model. This enabled us to plot the evolution with time and technology generation of the oxide trap density Nt as a function of equivalent oxide thickness (EOT). It appears that, with the device miniaturization, Nt overall increases almost by two decades with decreasing the EOT thickness from 12nm for the 0.5μm node to 1.3nm for the 20nm node for n- and p-MOS. Despite this increase of the mean trap density Nt, the LFN statistical variability has surprisingly been well controlled with the decrease of EOT and the increase of Nt and even improved in 28 and 20nm node.