Simple technique for prediction of breakdown voltage of ultrathin gate insulator under ESD testing

In this study, simple ramped voltage TLP (RV-TLP) measurement was utilized to predict breakdown voltage (BV_OX) and number of pulses to breakdown (N_BD) under ESD testing. The proposed prediction method does not require lengthy DC-TDDB measurements but instead utilizes quick Ramped Voltage (RV) stress measurements to calculate a voltage to breakdown (BV_OX) in the ESD timeframe. From voltage ramping rate dependence of Q_BD and breakdown current (J_BD), the power law between Q_BD and J_BD was obtained. By using this Q_BD-J_BD correlation, we succeeded the predictions of BV_OX and N_BD analytically, and these values correspond to that for conventional constant-voltage TLP measurement. Furthermore, according to the evaluation of Q_P, anode-hole-injection (AHI) model is still adaptable for the breakdown under nanosecond pulse ESD testing.