Development of a technique for characterizing bias temperature instability-induced device-to-device variation at SRAM-relevant conditions

Duan, M. , Zhang, J. F., Ji, Z., Zhang, W. D., Kaczer, B., Schram, T., Ritzenthaler, R., Groeseneken, G. and Asenov, A. (2014) Development of a technique for characterizing bias temperature instability-induced device-to-device variation at SRAM-relevant conditions. IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, 61(9), pp. 3081-3089. (doi: 10.1109/TED.2014.2335053)

Abstract

SRAM is vulnerable to device-to-device variation (DDV), since it uses minimum-sized devices and requires device matching. In addition to the as-fabricated DDV at time-zero, aging induces a time-dependent DDV (TDDV). Bias temperature instability (BTI) is a dominant aging process. A number of techniques have been developed to characterize the BTI, including the conventional pulse-(I) -(V) , random telegraph noises, time-dependent defect spectroscopy, and TDDV accounting for the within-device fluctuation. These techniques, however, cannot be directly applied to SRAM, because their test conditions do not comply with typical SRAM operation. The central objective of this paper is to develop a technique suitable for characterizing both the negative BTI (NBTI) and positive BTI (PBTI) in SRAM. The key issues addressed include the SRAM relevant sensing Vg, measurement delay, capturing the upper envelope of degradation, sampling rate, and measurement time window. The differences between NBTI and PBTI are highlighted. The impact of NBTI and PBTI on the cell-level performance is assessed by simulation, based on experimental results obtained from individual devices. The simulation results show that, for a given static noise margin, test conditions have a significant effect on the minimum operation bias.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Duan, Dr Meng and Asenov, Professor Asen
• Authors: Duan, M., Zhang, J. F., Ji, Z., Zhang, W. D., Kaczer, B., Schram, T., Ritzenthaler, R., Groeseneken, G., and Asenov, A.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Electronics and Nanoscale Engineering
• Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices
• Publisher: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• ISSN: 0018-9383
• ISSN (Online): 1557-9646
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2014 The Authors
• First Published: First published in IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices 61(9):3081-3089
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
					1060