Oxide reliability and characterization for strained and (110) substrate-oriented p-channel silicon-on-insulator MOSFETs

As device scaling becomes more and more difficult, semiconductor industry seeks alternative ways to improve performance and limit power consumption. Novel structural approaches, biaxial-strained and (110)-oriented SOI devices both significantly enhance hole mobility, expected to be part of future generation technology for CMOS fabrication process. In this paper, both are evaluated for oxide reliability. Evaluation methods include negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) and stress-induced leakage current (SILC). Compared with conventional devices, both biaxial SSOI and (110)-oriented SOI devices show enhanced NBTI. (110)-oriented SOI also show enhanced leakage current under high electrical stress. To be incorporated into standard process, both techniques require further research for higher stability and reliability under temperature, electrical, and time-dependant stress.