Assessing the Reliability of DRAM CMOS Periphery: Comparing AC and DC Conditions for BTI and TDDB

This paper presents an in-depth analysis of fast Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) and Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB) in DRAM CMOS periphery devices, focusing on NMOS and PMOS transistors. Using rapid measurement techniques, we evaluate BTI degradation under both DC and AC stress modes. Our findings reveal that AC Negative BTI-Mode B (NBTI) shows frequency independence. Positive BTI (PBTI) in AC mode (A and B) also demonstrates frequency independence. Additionally, the study uncovers trends in TDDB behavior for NMOS and PMOS devices. PMOS TDDB performance improves at higher frequencies compared to DC, while NMOS TDDB shows degradation at lower frequencies with improved performance at higher frequencies. These results suggest a need for further investigation into the correlation between these reliability mechanisms to develop effective mitigation strategies. By exploring the relationships between BTI and TDDB, we aim to enhance the knowledge of those two similar (from the device point of view during stress) mechanisms.