MOS Capacitor under Applied Bias

Oxide doesnt permit any steady-state current between the n+ poly gate and the
substrate. Therefore, if we wait long enough for transient currents to die out, the
electron and hole currents are zero -Jn = 0

and

Jp = 0

Even though the structure isnt in equilibrium, the absence of current implies
that we can relate potential to carrier concentration in the silicon substrate (since
thats all we assumed in deriving the 60 mV rule.)






,,
,,,,,
,,,,,
metal
interconnect to gate

+
_ mn+
gate oxide
ox = 3.9 o

n+ polysilicon gate

+
_

VGB

+V
_ ox
0 +
_VB

,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,
p-type
s = 11.7 o

+ pm
_

metal interconnect to bulk

Flatband condition: cancel built-in drop by applying the flatband voltage

V GB = ( n+ p ) = V FB = 970 mV for Na = 1017 cm-3

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

MOS Electrostatics in Flatband

When VGB = VFB, the gate is shifted from its thermal equilibrium potential (n+)
to a new value of VFB + n+ = -(n+ - p) + n+ = p, which is the same potential
as the p-type bulk. Therefore, there is no potential drop across the MOS structure
in flatband
(x)

charge
density

-tox

E(x)

electric
field

-tox

x
(x)

250mV

potential

-tox

-250mV

VGB + n+
-500mV
-750mV
-1.0V

If we continue to make the gate-bulk voltage more negative, the gate will take on
a negative charge QG < 0. The substrate has a positive charge, which comes from
holes that are attracted by the negative gate charge

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

MOS Capacitor in Accumulation

Charge density, electric field, and potential in accumulation:

VGB < VFB, where VFB = - 0.97 V for this example.

(x)
- QG (accumulated holes)

charge
density

-tox
0

QG
E(x)
-tox

electric
field

x
+

QG
Eox =
ox
(x)
-tox

potential

0
x
-250mV

VGB + n+

VGB - VFB

-500mV
-750mV
-1.0V
-1.25V

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

MOS Capacitor in Depletion

Now we make VGB > VFB. Note that thermal equilibrium falls into this range of
applied bias.
(x)
QG

charge
density

Xd
0

-tox

-qNa

E (x)

electric
field
0

-tox

Xd

(x)
1V

VGB + n+

potential

VGB
500 mV

-tox

s = 185 mV

Xd
x

-500 mV

Surface potential at oxide/silicon interface is now positive --> n-type

(slightly, ns = 1013 cm-3).

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

The Threshold Voltage VTn

Keep increasing VGB --> surface potential keeps increasing. At some point, the
surface is n-type (i.e., we say that it is inverted) and the electron charge makes a
significant contribution to the charge density.
How do we model this phenomenon? We approximate that onset of inversion as
the point where the electron concentration ns at the surface is the same as the
hole concentration Na in the bulk. (In other words, the surface is as n-type as
the bulk is p-type.)
The gate-bulk potential at the onset of inversion is called the threshold voltage,
VTn. To find the threshold voltage, we need to consider the electrostatics in
depletion (no electrons at the surface at the onset of inversion) -- with the surface
potential equal to the opposite of the bulk potential:
s, max = p
(x)
1.5 V

VTn + n+

1V

s,max = - p = 420 mV

Vox
500 mV

VTn - VFB
Xd,max

-tox
0
-500 mV

VB,max

- p

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

Threshold Voltage Expression

We can solve for the threshold voltage:

V T V FB = V ox + V B, max

The drop across the depletion region is

V B, max = s, max p = p p = 2 p

The drop across the oxide for VGB = VTn is

Q B, max
Q B, max
V ox = E ox t ox = ---------------------- t ox = ---------------------C ox
ox

The bulk charge in inversion is found from the depletion width Xd,max
2 p
Q B, max = qN a X d, max = qN a --------------------------------------- = 2q s N a ( 2 p )
( ( 1 2 )qN a ) s
where the relationship between the depletion width Xd,max and the drop across
the depletion region s,max - (p) = -p - p = -2p can be found from Poissons
Equation.

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

Threshold Voltage (p-type Substrate)

The threshold voltage is the sum of the flatband voltage (which cancels the builtin potential drop from gate to bulk), the drop across the oxide at the onset of
inversion, and the maximum potential drop across the depletion region

1
V Tn = V FB 2 p + --------- 2q s N ( 2 p )
a
C
ox

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

The Inverted MOS Capacitor (VGB > VTn)

We consider the surface potential as fixed (pinned) at s,max = - 2 p

(x)

1.5 V

1.0 V

Vox

500 mV

- tox

VGB - VFB

s,max = 420 mV
Xd,max

2 p

- 500 mV

What is the inversion charge QN?

see Section 3.7 for the derivation
consider: bulk charge is constant for VGB > VTn --> all of the additional charge in
the silicon is stored in the inversion layer, once inversion occurs. The inversion
layer is separated from the gate by the gate oxide; we can relate the inversion
charge (per cm2) to the applied voltage over VTn through Cox the capacitance
(per cm2) of the oxide
Q N = C ox ( V GB V Tn )

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

Charge Storage in the MOS Structure

Three regions of operation:

Accumulation: qG = Cox (vGB - vFB) ... parallel plate capacitor

Depletion:

qG = - qB(vGB), with the bulk (depletion) charge in the

silicon being a nonlinear function of vGB

Inversion:

qG = - qN - qB,max , where qB,max = qB(vGB = VT) is the

depletion charge at the onset of inversion and

Sketch of the gate charge as a function of gate-bulk voltage:

QG

on

rsi

e
inv

letio

dep
1

ati

ul

VFB = 0.97 V

QB,max

QB(VGB)
0

on

QN(VGB)

VGB (V)

VTn = 0.6 V

cu

ac

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

MOS Capacitance

The capacitance of the MOS structure is defined as

dq G
C = ------------dv GB
V GB

From sketch, determine the slope and plot as the capacitance

ion

qG

rs
ve

in

letio

dep

QB,max

qB(vGB)
1

on

ati

ul

vGB (V)

VGB (V)

VTn = 0.6 V

VFB = 0.97 V

um

qN(vGB)

cc

(a)
C/Cox

accumulation

inversion

1.0
0.8

ple

de

0.6

n
tio

0.4
VFB = 0.97 V
2

0.2

VTn = 0.6 V

1
1

0
(b)

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

Physical Interpretation of MOS Capacitance

Accumulation: parallel plate capacitor --> C = Cox

Depletion: increment in gate charge is mirrored at bottom of depletion region, so

capacitance model is Cox in series with the depletion region capacitance Cb
gate
Si/SiO2 surface
bulk

ox
C ox = -------t ox
s
C b = -----Xd

Note that Xd is
a function of VGB

C = C ox C b

Inversion: bulk charge is no longer changing with VGB --> an increment in

gate charge is mirrored in the inversion layer under the gate.
The capacitance is therefore the same as in accumulation --> C = Cox

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

Understanding MOS Capacitors

Step 1: identify the flatband voltage from the gate and bulk potentials in
equilibrium

Step 2: determine whether VGB > VFB leads to accumulation or to depletion

substrate is n-type --> accumulation

substrate is p-type --> depletion

Why? positive charge on gate ( since VGB - VFB > 0 V) must be mirrored by a
negative charge in the substrate.
n-type substrate: negatively charged electrons are accumulated under the gate
p-type substrate: negatively charged ionized acceptors are left, after holes are
repelled away from positive charge on gate

Step 3: construct C(VGB) plot, using the knowledge that the substrate is depleted
on the other side of VFB from accumulation in Step 2 and that inversion occurs
after depletion. Calculation of VT and Cmin is necessary to quantify the plot

Additional data point: determine state of MOS structure in thermal equilibrium

(VGB = 0 V) ... accumulation or [depletion/inversion]

Example:
gate: p+ polysilicon (where p+ = - 550 mV); gate oxide thickness = 200 ,
substrate: n type silicon, n = 480 mV (Nd = 1018 cm-3)
VFB = - (-550 mV - 480 mV) = + 1.03 V
VGB - VFB > 0 V --> accumulated; substrate is depleted for VGB < 1.03 V
Check: VGB = 0 --> negative charge on gate; positive in bulk (since gate is at
- 0.55 V and substrate is at + 0.48 V in thermal equilibrium) --> positive donors in
depletion region under gate ... and possibly holes due to inversion

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

MOS Capacitance-Voltage Curve

Evaluate threshold voltage VTp

2q s N d ( 2 n )
V Tp = V FB 2 n ------------------------------------- = 1.03 2 ( 0.48 ) 3.28 = 3.21 V
C
ox

Minimum capacitance occurs just prior to inversion and is the series

combination of the oxide capacitance and the maximum depletion capacitance:
3.45 10 13 1.04 10 12
ox s
2
C min = -------- ------------------ = ---------------------------- ---------------------------- = 1.16 fF/cm

6
2 10
2.9 10
t ox X d, max
Maximum capacitance is Cox = 1.72 fF/cm2.
C/Cox
1

0.75
1.16/1.72 = 0.67
0.5

0.25
1.03 V

-3.21 V
0
-4

-3

-2

-1

VGB

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7

EE 105 Spring 1997

Lecture 7