New approach for understanding “random device physics” from channel percolation perspectives: Statistical simulations, key factors and experimental results

The concept of percolative channel is essential for understanding statistical variability and reliability in nanoscale transistors. In this paper, the quantitative factors of channel current percolation path (PP) are comprehensively studied in planar and FinFET devices for the first time, with statistical simulations and experimental characterizations. The properly-defined PP parameters are well quantified by the proposed new approach, and extracted from ‘atomistic’ device simulation. The experimental data of random telegraph noise (RTN) is used via the atomic PP model to characterize the underlying channel local current fluctuations and thus to benchmark the PP in reality. Experimental results of extracted PP parameters are consistent with those predicted from simulations, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The 3D PP in FinFET has different features compared with 2D PP in planar devices, and exhibits additional distortion along Fin-width direction. This work provides a unique framework for deep understanding of “random device physics” and thus is helpful for future nano-device design.