The implementation of other materials than Si and SiO₂ in CMOS through the hetero-epitaxial growth on a silicon substrate for example, has renewed the interest in defect engineering during the last two decades, leading to single-defect analysis methods like Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) [1] or novel growth schemes like Aspect Ratio Trapping (ART) [2] for the removal of extended defects from the device active regions.

In this presentation, some state-of-the-art analysis techniques will be highlighted, including Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) [3], Generation-Recombination (GR) noise and RTN spectroscopy [1,4] and p-n diode lifetime analysis [5]. These methods will be applied to several case studies. As shown in Fig. 1, threading extended defects impact the recombination lifetime of lowly-doped n-type In_0.47Ga_0.53As starting from a density of a few 10⁷ cm^-2. Likewise, it will be demonstrated that the GR noise observed in GaN-on-Si MOSHEMTs (Fig. 2) most likely originates from threading dislocations [6]. It is concluded that when hetero-epitaxial layers can be grown with a sufficiently low defect density, their impact will be more on the variability of the electrical parameters rather than on the effective values. In addition, the position of the defect with respect to strategic nodes like a p-n junction or depletion region largely determines its electrical impact, as has been validated by TCAD simulations.

References

[1] E. Simoen and C. Claeys, “Random Telegraph Signals in Semiconductor Devices”, The Institute of Physics, Bristol, UK (2016).

[2] J. Z. Li et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 91, p. 021114 (2007).

[3] E. Simoen, J. Lauwaert and H. Vrielinck, Semiconductors and Semimetals, Eds. L. Romano, V. Privitera and C. Jagadish, 91, pp. 205-250, Elsevier 2015.

[4] D. Boudier et al., Solid-St. Electron., 128, pp. 102-108 (2017).

[5] Po-Chun (Brent) Hsu et al., J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 52, p. 485102 (2019).

[6] K. Takakura et al., IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 67, pp. 3062-3068 (2020).