Empirical and Theoretical Modeling of Low-Frequency Noise Behavior of Ultrathin Silicon-on-Insulator MOSFETs Aiming at Low-Voltage and Low-Energy Regime

Abstract

This paper theoretically revisits the low-frequency noise behavior of the inversion-channel silicon-on-insulator metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (SOI MOSFET) and the buried-channel SOI MOSFET because the quality of both Si/SiO2 interfaces (top and bottom) should modulate the low-frequency fluctuation characteristics of both devices. It also addresses the low-frequency noise behavior of sub-100-nm channel SOI MOSFETs. We deepen the discussion of the low-frequency noise behavior in the subthreshold bias range in order to elucidate the device’s potential for future low-voltage and low-power applications. As expected, analyses suggest that the weak inversion channel near the top surface of the SOI MOSFET is strongly influenced by interface traps near the top surface of the SOI layer because the traps are not well shielded by low-density surface inversion carriers in the subthreshold bias range. Unexpectedly, we find that the buried channel is primarily influenced by interface traps near the top surface of the SOI layer, not by traps near the bottom surface of the SOI layer. This is not due to the simplified capacitance coupling effect. These interesting characteristics of current fluctuation spectral intensity are explained well by the theoretical models proposed here.