Stress-induced leakage current and random telegraph signal

Stress-induced leakage current (SILC) and random telegraph signal (RTS) in $n$-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (⁠$n$-MOSFETs) caused by the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling stress are studied by using the author’s newly developed test pattern. MOSFETs having large RTS increase can be induced by electrical stress in parallel with the inducing of SILC. Generation and recovery characteristics of SILC and RTS against the stress time and measurement temperature are very similar. However, the MOSFETs having large RTS are not related to ones having large anomalous SILC in this study. We consider that the traps that cause the RTS and anomalous SILC are the same, but their locations in $SiO2$ are different.