Effects of Low-Temperature Operation on the Performance of MOSFETs

This work discusses the methods of electrical characterization of MOSFETs manufactured in 0.18um mixed signal process over a wide temperature range of 40K to 298K for the development of wide temperature compact models. The effects of low-temperature operation on the performance of 0.18µm MOSFETs have been studied and discussed in terms of sub-threshold characteristics, threshold-voltage, the effect of the body bias and linearity of the device. As it is well understood, the subthreshold slope, the threshold voltage, drive currents of the MOSFETs increase when the temperature of the MOSFETs is lowered, which makes it advantageous to operate the MOSFETs at low-temperatures. However the ID-VG characteristics of MOSFETs become more non-linear as the operating temperature of the MOSFETs is reduced.