Application of 1/f noise measurements to the characterization of near-interface oxide traps in ULSI n-MOSFETs

1/f noise analysis is a promising method for estimating the density of near -interface states in small size metaloxide semiconductor field effect trans istor (MOSFET)s, as it does not require large-area devices and is not too s ensitive to periphery effects. However, the applicability of the method to practical devices and the accuracy of the results obtained have not often b een discussed in the literature. In this work, we report on the characteriz ation of ultra-large-scale of integration (ULSI) n-MOSFETs with a heavy cha nnel doping and a gate oxide fabricated with both a standard thermal oxide and an N2O-nitrided technology. We address the impact of channel quantizati on and mobility fluctuations on the 1/f results. The precision of the metho d is assessed by comparison with results obtained from conventional C-nu me asurements. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.