This paper studies negative bias temperature instability in commercial IRF9520 p-channel power VDMOSFETs under both static and pulsed bias stress conditions in order to model this effect. The pulsed voltage stressing caused generally lower shifts as compared to static stressing performed at the same temperature with equal stress voltage magnitude, as a consequence of partial recovery during the low level of pulsed gate voltage. It was shown that the quantitative differences between static and pulsed NBT stress depend on the duty cycle, and the differences become more significant as the duty cycle decreases. It was found that 25 off-time of the pulsed stress voltage could suffice to remove the major part of the recoverable component of the degradation created during the foregoing pulse on-time. An equivalent electrical circuit has been proposed and on the basis of these experimental results a modeling of threshold voltage shifts induced by pulsed negative bias temperature stress has been done.
Contribution: Impact assessment of the practice-oriented course for high school students on their later academic achievements, described in the context of long-term efforts to improve electronic engineering studies’ quality. The article highlights the importance of outreach and extracurricular activities and cooperation with the IEEE in these efforts. Background: Faced with the practical application of theoretical knowledge, either in laboratory exercises or on small projects, students are not as successful as expected. A high school course promoting practical work has been developed, following the gathered experience and results from other studies. The intention was to track participants’ progress not only on the course but also during their later studies at the faculty. Intended Outcomes: Increased the number of proficient high school students enrolling in the university. Improved quality of papers at student conferences, organization of workshops and events attractive to students and educators, an increased number of young members of the IEEE. Impact on the policymakers. Application Design: In tailoring the course content, the goal was to mimic an engineering design cycle through project-based learning. In contrast to deductive learning, which students were accustomed to, assessment-based and active learning teaching strategies, such as think–pair–share, practical demonstrations through performance tasks, and homework practice, have been used. Findings: This research documents that students with practical experience in high school have more self-confidence and better university scores than those with none. The universities should step forward in initiatives to strengthen connections with high schools and professional societies.
This study aimed to comprehensively understand the performance and degradation of both p- and n-channel vertical double diffused MOS (VDMOS) transistors under bias temperature stress. Conducted experimental investigations involved various stress conditions and annealing processes to analyze the impacts of BT stress on the formation of oxide trapped charge and interface traps, leading to threshold voltage shifts. Findings revealed meaningful threshold voltage shifts in both PMOS and NMOS devices due to stresses, and the subsequent annealing process was analyzed in detail. The study also examined the influence of stress history on self-heating behavior under real operating conditions. Additionally, the study elucidated the complex correlation between stress-induced degradation and device reliability. The insights contribute to optimizing the performance and permanence of VDMOS transistors in practical applications, advancing semiconductor technology. This study underscored the importance of considering stress-induced effects on device reliability and performance in the design and application of VDMOS transistors.