A model with temperature-dependent exponent for hot-carrier injection in high-voltage nMOSFETs involving hot-hole injection and dispersion

An improved hot-hole-involved interface-state generation model is proposed for hot-carrier injection (HCI) degradation in high-voltage (HV) nMOSFETs. This model is based on experiments over a wide range of temperatures, voltage conditions, simulation results, and the underlying physical mechanisms. The model provides a thorough picture of an HCI system in HV nMOSFETs, with hot-hole injection related to an additional maximum electric-field region. The hot-hole injection in HCI is assumed to introduce deeper localized hydrogen states in gate-oxide films than that in negative-bias temperature instabilities. This result facilitates the dispersive transport of hydrogen. Therefore, HCI degradation in HV transistors is explained within the framework of disorder-controlled hydrogen kinetics. The power-law model can successfully predict temperature dependences for HCI degradation.