Device Simulation for Evaluating Effects of Inplane Biaxial Mechanical Stress on n-Type Silicon Semiconductor Devices

This paper presents a practical method of drift-diffusion device simulation for evaluating the effects of mechanical stress on n-type silicon semiconductor devices. The device simulation incorporates an electron mobility model for considering the effects of stress. In this paper, we focus on stress effects that are induced by applying inplane biaxial stress to the devices. Therefore, two physical phenomena that are attributed to mechanical stress are modeled in the electron mobility model, i.e., the changes in relative population and the momentum relaxation time (intervalley scattering) of electrons in conduction-band valleys. Stress-induced variations of direct-current characteristics on n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) field-effect transistors are evaluated using a device simulation including the proposed electron mobility model. Then, the electron mobility model and the simulation method are verified by comparing with experimental results. It is demonstrated that experimental results can be reasonably estimated using this device simulation method. From discussions regarding the electron mobility model, it is suggested that the comprehensive stress sensitivity of MOS devices is larger than that of lightly doped silicon.