Identification and localisation of gate oxide weaknesses in n-MOS transistors through Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling and SPICE simulation

Analysis of the I/V characteristics after Fowler-Nordheim (F-N) injection of n-MOS transistors with weak source-drain overlap regions show the presence of an anomalous ´hump´ SPICE simulations show that the same hump can arise in localised damage regions along the source-drain periphery, and that this is possibly in the bird´s beak region. The results suggest that SPICE simulations and F-N injection can be used to study localised damage in MOS transistors.