Simple technique for prediction of breakdown voltage of ultrathin gate insulator under ESD testing

In this study, simple ramped voltage TLP (RV-TLP) measurement was utilized to predict breakdown voltage (BV<sub>OX</sub>) and number of pulses to breakdown (N<sub>BD</sub>) under ESD testing. The proposed prediction method does not require lengthy DC-TDDB measurements but instead utilizes quick Ramped Voltage (RV) stress measurements to calculate a voltage to breakdown (BV<sub>OX</sub>) in the ESD timeframe. From voltage ramping rate dependence of Q<sub>BD</sub> and breakdown current (J<sub>BD</sub>), the power law between Q<sub>BD</sub> and J<sub>BD</sub> was obtained. By using this Q<sub>BD</sub>-J<sub>BD</sub> correlation, we succeeded the predictions of BV<sub>OX</sub> and N<sub>BD</sub> analytically, and these values correspond to that for conventional constant-voltage TLP measurement. Furthermore, according to the evaluation of Q<sub>P</sub>, anode-hole-injection (AHI) model is still adaptable for the breakdown under nanosecond pulse ESD testing.

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