Methodology for recovery of hot carrier induced degradation in bipolar devices

US7723824B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• International Business Machines Corporation · US

Inventors

• Fernando Guarin · Millbrook, US
• J. Edwin Hostetter · Pleasant Valley, US
• Stewart E. Rauch, III · Poughkeepsie, US
• Ping-Chuan Wang · Hopewell Junction, US
• Zhijian Yang · San Diego, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 4, 2007
• Grant date: May 25, 2010
• Expiry date: Mar 27, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H10D10/891

Abstract

A method for recovery of degradation caused by avalanche hot carriers is provided that includes subjecting an idle bipolar transistor exhibiting avalanche degradation to a thermal anneal step which increases temperature of the transistor thereby recovering the avalanche degradation of the bipolar transistor. In one embodiment, the annealing source is a self-heating structure that is a Si-containing resistor that is located side by side with an emitter of the bipolar transistor. During the recovering step, the bipolar transistor including the self-heating structure is placed in the idle mode (i.e., without bias) and a current from a separate circuit is flown through the self-heating structure. In another embodiment of the present, the annealing step is a result of providing a high forward current (around the peak fT current or greater) to the bipolar transistor while operating below the avalanche condition (VCB of less than 1 V). Under the above conditions, about 40% or greater of the degradation can be recovered. In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the thermal annealing step may include a rapid thermal anneal (RTA), a furnace anneal, a laser anneal or a spike anneal…