Understanding energy dissipation and transport in nanoscale structures is of great importance for the design of energy-efficient circuits and energy-conversion systems. This is also a rich domain for fundamental discoveries at the intersection of electron, lattice (phonon), and optical (photon) interactions. This review presents recent progress in understanding and manipulation of energy dissipation and transport in nanoscale solid-state structures. First, the landscape of power usage from nanoscale transistors (∼10−8 W) to massive data centers (∼109 W) is surveyed. Then, focus is given to energy dissipation in nanoscale circuits, silicon transistors, carbon nanostructures, and semiconductor nanowires. Concepts of steady-state and transient thermal transport are also reviewed in the context of nanoscale devices with sub-nanosecond switching times. Finally, recent directions regarding energy transport are reviewed, including electrical and thermal conductivity of nanostructures, thermal rectification, and the role of ubiquitous material interfaces. 
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Energy dissipation and transport in nanoscale devices

Understanding energy dissipation and transport in nanoscale structures is of great importance for the design of energy-efficient circuits and energy-conversion systems. This is also a rich domain for fundamental discoveries at the intersection of electron, lattice (phonon), and optical (photon) interactions. This review presents recent progress in understanding and manipulation of energy dissipation and transport in nanoscale solid-state structures. First, the landscape of power usage from nanoscale transistors (~10^-8 W) to massive data centers (~10^9 W) is surveyed. Then, focus is given to energy dissipation in nanoscale circuits, silicon transistors, carbon nanostructures, and semiconductor nanowires. Concepts of steady-state and transient thermal transport are also reviewed in the context of nanoscale devices with sub-nanosecond switching times. Finally, recent directions regarding energy transport are reviewed, including electrical and thermal conductivity of nanostructures, thermal rectification, and the role of ubiquitous material interfaces.

/pdf/energy-dissipation-and-transport-in-nanoscale-devices-17sw2ubrhz.pdf

Energy Dissipation and Transport in Nanoscale Devices

Condition monitoring (CM) has already been proven to be a cost effective means of enhancing reliability and improving customer service in power equipment, such as transformers and rotating electrical machinery. CM for power semiconductor devices in power electronic converters is at a more embryonic stage; however, as progress is made in understanding semiconductor device failure modes, appropriate sensor technologies, and signal processing techniques, this situation will rapidly improve. This technical review is carried out with the aim of describing the current state of the art in CM research for power electronics. Reliability models for power electronics, including dominant failure mechanisms of devices are described first. This is followed by a description of recently proposed CM techniques. The benefits and limitations of these techniques are then discussed. It is intended that this review will provide the basis for future developments in power electronics CM.

Condition Monitoring for Device Reliability in Power Electronic Converters: A Review

ESD Phenomena and Test Methods The Physics of ESD Protection Circuit Elements Requirements and Synthesis of ESD Protection Circuits Design and Layout Requirements Analysis and Case Studies Modelling of ESD in Integrated Circuits Effects of Processing and Packaging.

ESD in silicon integrated circuits

Experimental facts about noise are presented which help us to understand the correlation between noise in a device and its reliability. The main advantages of noise measurements are that the tests are less destructive, faster and more sensitive than DC measurements after accelerated life tests. The following topics are addressed: 1) the kind of noise spectra in view of reliability diagnostics such as thermal noise, shot noise, the typical poor-device indicators like burst noise and generation-recombination noise and the 1/f/sup 2/ and 1/f noise; 2) why conduction noise is a quality indicator; 3) the quality of electrical contacts and vias; 4) electromigration damage; 5) the reliability in diode type devices like solar cells, laser diodes, and bipolar transistors; and 6) the series resistance in modern short channel MESFET, MODFET, and MOST devices. >

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Noise as a diagnostic tool for quality and reliability of electronic devices

A first principles approach to the problem of thermal breakdown in semiconductor devices is developed using Green's function formalism. The problem of thermal runaway at a defect of arbitrary geometry, subject to an arbitrary power profile, is considered. A solution is presented for the specific case of a rectangular parallelepiped shaped defect, subject to constant input power. It is expected that this geometry will model the defect in many semiconductor devices more accurately than the defect geometries used in the past. Unlike previous work, this allows all three dimensions of the defect to take on the full range of values. The theory developed here provides a natural framework for the explanation of results previously reported in the literature. It is shown that there are four time domains and not three as previously thought, and these exist for all shapes of defect. Thus, it is wrong to conclude that a pulse power/time to failure dependence of the form P f α t f − 1 2 necessarily implies a roughly two-dimensional defect. Several relationships are found to exist within the model which allow estimates to be made of the defect dimensions and failure temperature. Experimental data drawn from the literature, produce Pf/tf profiles similar to those indicated by the theory.

Thermal failure in semiconductor devices

Introduction Reliability Theory Failure Mechanisms Failure Mechanisms and Device Technologies Packaging Screening Accelerated Testing Physical Failure Analysis Techniques Reliability Prediction and Failure Modelling Quality Assurance Conclusions.

Failure Mechanisms in Semiconductor Devices

The problem of calculating for electrostatic discharge (ESD) thermal failure is considered by the thermal convolution integral technique. It is shown that the common assumption that threshold failure occurs after five time constants is unjustified and that the simple average power method for assessing threshold parameters is, consequently, invalid. New expressions for the threshold parameters are presented which retain the simplicity of the average power method, yet represent only a small sacrifice of the accuracy (typically 5%) of more complex methods. In addition, the relaxation of the constraints of a pure Wunsch-Bell damage profile and of an exponentially decaying current pulse is considered. >

Electrostatic discharge thermal failure in semiconductor devices

A thermal breakdown analysis of planar GaAs metal-semiconductor diodes is presented and three models relating failure power ( P f ) to corresponding failure times ( t f ) are compared. The standard Wunsch and Bell model, a modified form of the Tasca model, and a three-dimensional model (developed by the authors) are fitted to experimental data. The results indicate that, within given failure time domains, GaAs structures of this kind follow the same general patterns, P f αt f − q , as those previously reported for silicon semiconductor devices. There is one exception. In the time domain roughly between 1 and 20 μs, the failure power is given by P f α 1/ log e ( t f ). Analytic expressions are used to extract three “defect” dimensions from forward bias experimental data. These “defect” dimensions are discussed with reference to the device dimensions and the ambient temperature. Two distinct visible and electrical failure modes have been observed and these are linked to changes in the channel conductance subsequent to an applied pulse.

Thermal breakdown in GaAs MES diodes

The sensitivity and susceptibility of wafer-level enhancement mode NMOS transistors to electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage has been investigated Over 4000 devices with gate dimensions (width and length) varying between 14 and 1029 μm have been subjected to positive polarity ESD pulses ranging from +50 V to 1 kV at temperatures between 25°C and 200°C The nature of the damage has been analysed and the probable effects and implications on device working life have been discussed The results showed that the ESD sensitivity was not influenced by temperature but was dependent on the applied voltage The application of Weibull statistics to the failure distributions indicated that two different breakdown mechanisms were activated above and below 200 V The dependence of the breakdown mechanism on the gate dimensions and the dimensional effects on the sensitivity of the devices to ESD damage have been analysed

D.S. Campbell

Papers

Thermal failure in semiconductor devices

Failure Mechanisms in Semiconductor Devices

Electrostatic discharge thermal failure in semiconductor devices

Thermal breakdown in GaAs MES diodes

An investigation of the nature and mechanisms of ESD damage in NMOS transistors