ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the various intrinsic failure mechanisms that affect the stability of a transistor and hence have an adverse effect on integrated circuit (IC) reliability. It looks at the transconductance models for each transistor type and assesses, in general terms, the mechanisms by which it can degrade. The chapter describes that intrinsic leakage aging is an application variable; extrinsic leakage aging is a process variable. The control of the interaction of these two effects dictates managing IC sensitivity to process defects. If the breakdown takes place close to the silicon surface, a degradation in the leakage or threshold characteristics may be induced due to trapping of energetic carriers that usually accompany breakdowns into the silicon-silicon dioxide interface states. Breakdown events are often runaway conditions that result in destruction of a device, and are typically triggered at some voltage that is above the normal operating range.
