Temperature Dependence of Inversion-Layer Frequency Response in Silicon

Conductance-voltage and capacitance-voltage curves of metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors on n-type silicon were investigated in the temperature range between room temperature and 200°C. Plots of the inversion-layer conductance versus reciprocal temperature show a sequence of two activation energies: one corresponding to the temperature dependence of the intrinsic carrier density ni, the other to that of n2i. The low-temperature range is characterized by recombination-generation in the space-charge region, the high-temperature range by diffusion current from the bulk. The technique permits measurement of bulk lifetime for the two regimes and determination of room temperature cutoff frequency for the channel.