Negative bias temperature instability of p-channel transistors with diamond-like carbon liner having ultra-high compressive stress

The negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) characteristics of p-channel field-effect transistors with diamondlike carbon (DLC) liner stressor having ultra-high compressive stress (>5 GPa) are investigated for the first time. Ultra-Fast Measurement (UFM) was employed for NBTI study. Power law slopes ranging from similar to 0.057 to similar to 0.070 are reported in this work. P-FETs with higher channel strain show greater threshold voltage shift (Delta V-th) than those with lower or no channel strain under the same gate voltage V-GS stress condition. Delta V-th recovery-behavior of highly strained devices suggests that both charge trapping and interface trap degradation are enhanced by strain. Despite this, strained p-FETs with Recessed SiGe S/D and DLC stressors are projected to have a NBTI lifetime exceeding 10 years at V-G = -1 V, showing no severe reliability issues.