Noise Modeling in MOSFET and

Bipolar Devices
 Noise Modeling - MOSFET Noise

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -2-

 Overview

1. Noise Concept

2. MOSFET Noise
•  1/f Noise in MOSFET (SPICE 2 & BSIM3)
•  Thermal Noise in MOSFET (SPICE 2 & BSIM3)
•  How to Model for 1/f noise
•  Advanced Noise Model

3. BJT (Bipolar) Noise

•  How to measure 1/f noise for MOSFET and BJT
•  Various Noise in BJT (1/f, Thermal, Shot noise)
•  Noise model equation
•  How to Model for 1/f noise

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -3-

 Noise Concept

1. Flicker Noise (1/f noise, pink noise)

•  Random trapping and detrapping of the mobile carriers in the channel and within the gate
oxide (McWhorther’s model, Hooges’ model).

2. Shot Noise
•  Every reverse biased junction generates shot noise which is caused by random carriers
across the junction.

3. Thermal Noise (Johnson noise, Nyquist noise)

•  Random thermally excited vibration of the charge carriers.

4. Generation/Recombination Noise
•  Trapping centers in the bulk of the device can cause generation/recombination noise.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -4-

 MOS Flicker Noise or 1/f Noise

• McWhorther’s model: noise is caused by the random Trapping and

detrapping of the mobile carriers in the channel
• Hooges’ model: the flicker noise is attributed to mobility fluctuation
Thermal Noise source for Rd

Flicker noise source +

Thermal noise source

Thermal Noise source for Rs

MOS equivalent circuit for Noise model

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -5-

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

• Carrier number fluctuation theory known also as the trapping-detrapping

model, proposed by McWhorther. But these fluctuations can also induce
fluctuation in the channel mobility of the remaining carriers in the channel
since the traps act as coulombic Scattering site when they capture a
carriers
• Empirical & SPICE model
: PSD of drain current

: empirical parameter

: Transconductance
Since : Width & length

: Oxide capacitance per unit area

: close to 1 in wide frequency range and

in any case varies in a narrow range
between 0.8 and 1.2

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -6-

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

• Commonly used SPICE noise model equations

: drain current
: flicker noise coefficient
: flicker noise exponent

: flicker noise frequency exponent

: NOIMOD= 1, 4
: effective gate length
At Strong inversion in the Linear Region
: For strong inversion, in the linear region at low drain voltages

: Density of oxide traps

: Density of oxide traps per unit volume and unit energy

: McWhorther tunneling parameter

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -7-

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

Corresponds to the SPICE model given by

Assuming that

At Strong inversion in the Saturation Region

: In saturation, for

Since in saturation

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -8-

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

Corresponds to the SPICE model given by

Assuming that

At Subthreshold Region
: At weak inversion below threshold

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices -9-

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

Since at subthreshold

Capacitance ratio between the oxide capacitance and the depletion

capacitance is defined by

: Svg will be significantly reduced compared to

Then, that in saturation.

At subthreshold, the drain current is related to gate voltage by

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 10 -

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

Increases with

Corresponds to the SPICE model given by

Assuming that

: Voltage dependence is not considered.

KF had differenct dimensions (KF is measured [Amper*F] in saturation and linear regions and
[F] in the subthreshold region).

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 11 -

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

•  Device Information: P-channel and n-channel MOS for analog applications (2 um technology)
2um process : Nwell(2um), XJ: 0.2um, Tox:400A, field oxide:4000A, Vt:0.7V (nmos), -0.9V
(pmos) Subthreshold slope : 85mV/decade

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 12 -

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

•  Device Information: P-channel and n-channel MOS for analog applications (0.5um
technology) 0.5um process : Twin well, Tox: 115A, Leff=0.4um, Vt:0.55V(nmos) , -0.65V
(pmos) Tungsten silicide is formed over the polysilicon gate, subthreshold slope : 100mV/
decade

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 13 -

 McWhorther’s model ( 1/f noise )

In saturation regions, AF=1 In subthreshold regions, AF=1

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 14 -

 Hooge’s model ( 1/f noise )

•  The mobility fluctuation theory considers the flicker noise as a results of the fluctuation in
bulk mobility based on Hooge’s empirical relation for the PSD of flicker noise.
: Total number of carriers, I : mean current
: Hooge’s emperical parameter

At below saturation ( Vd < Vdsat, Id < Idsat )

Since , R=V/I
: Effective gate voltage

R : Channel resistance

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 15 -

 Hooge’s model ( 1/f noise )

• At saturation region

For versus we then obtain

Since

Since

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 16 -

 Hooge’s model ( 1/f noise )

In the ohmic region

is proportional to

At fixed drain and gate bias

is inversely proportional to

Since
In saturation region behavior is

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 17 -

 Hooge’s model ( 1/f noise )

In the model we find for

: the characteristic decay length of the electron wave function ( ~ 1 A)

: trap density per unit area and unit energy

: largest trapping distance ( ~ 30A)

By Ning and Sah

: electron effective mass

Hooge’s parameter extracted from the

flicker noise versus gate voltage

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 18 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

• McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 19 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

•  1/f noise investigation of the 0.35um n and p type MOSFET

•  Device DC characteristics
•  1. Length : 0.35um , Width: 200um (nmos) , 264um (pmos)
•  2. nmos gm : 40mS/mm, pmos gm : 11.4mS/mm
•  3. nmos Mobility : 391cm2/Vs , pmos Mobility : 96 cm2/Vs
•  4. Low frequency noise measured with HP35670A in the 1Hz~100kHz
• Reference paper: On-Wafer Low frequency noise investigation of the
0.35um n and p type Mosfets dependence upon the gate geometry

Table1. gate size of n type and p type MOSFETs

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 20 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

Transconductance gm and drain current ID of n and p type MOSFETs biased with VD-0.1V. (Solid line is
device 41, dashed-dotted line is 47, dashed line is 31 and dotted line is 37), a). SID-0.6x10-8 A, 5.
ID-7.18x10-8 A. 6. ID-5.95x10-7 A, 7. ID-2.3x10-6 A, 8. ID-1.8x10-5 A, 9. ID-6.79x10-5 A, 10. is ID-2.47x10-4 A,
11. ID-7.38x10-4 A, 12. ID-10.07x10-4 A), b).

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 21 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

a) Sid at 10 Hz for the devices 41 (squares) and 44 (blue circles) lines,

b) Sid/Id2 for 41 (squares. Solid line is simulated) and 44 (circle, red dashed line is simulated).

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 22 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

N type
P type
P type
N type
N type
N type

Parameter extracted from low frequency noise Analysis

Sid/Id2 versus drain current for the 34 (circle are

measured, solid black line is simulated and dotted
red line is mobility fluctuation and dashed line is
trapping related noise).

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 23 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

•  Room temperature 1/f noise behaviour for NMOS and PMOS Device information : 0.5um
technology, Tox : 485A , W=12um , L=3um (Nmos)
Reference paper: Flicker noise in cmos transistors from subthreshold to strong inversion at
various temperature.

No gate bias dependence!!

Fig 1. in linear region Fig 2. in saturation region

Input referred noise spectra in these n channel TR vary very little as the gate voltage changes, both in the linear and saturation
Regions of operation. The “independence” from gate bias voltage in the input referred noise suggests that flicker noise from these
n-channel devices is due to carrier-density fluctuation rather than mobility fluctuation.
LDD structure : short channel LDD n type devices, strong gate bias dependence was observed. The gate bias dependent component
of noise by attributing it to the voltage dependent series resistance of the LDD structure at the drain end of the device.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 24 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

•  Device information: 0.5um technology, Tox : 485A, W=12um, L=4um ( Pmos)

: In the linear regions

gate bias dependence

Fig 3. in linear region Fig 4. in saturation region

It very often shows gate voltage dependence in both the linear and saturation regions of operations. Input referred power in
p channel devices can be 10~100 times less as compared to n channel transistors. This noise is for mobility fluctuation.
This gate bias dependence has been explained by buried channel conduction in ion-implanted devices, where bulk mobility
fluctuation noise dominate.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 25 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

• Temperature dependence for 1/f noise

Fig 5. Normalized input referred Fig 6. W=80um/L=6um nmos Fig 7. W=80um/L=6um pmos
noise at frequency 100Hz
NMOS device
The noise spectra shows an increase in slope at lower frequencies at very low temperatures . It probably due to a generation
– recombination noise source at low frequency. The flicker noise of nmos at low temperature does not decrease in any
significant order of magnitude!!

PMOS device
The noise power decreases as the temperature decreases to about 150K and the slope of the spectrum shows no change.
However, noise increases when the temperature is lowered beyond 150K. The slope of the sepctrum becomes very small.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 26 -

 McWhorther & Hooge noise model ( 1/f noise )

• In the subthreshold region operation

Fig 8. W=100um/ L=10um nmos, Vg changes Fig 9. W=100um/L=5um pmos, Vg varies

from subthreshold to strong inversion. from subthreshold to strong inversion.

NMOS device
It can be seen that input referred noise in the subthreshold region has the same behavior as that in the strong inversion.
No gate bias dependence is observed.

PMOS device
Input referred noise in pmos, the input referred noise decreases in magnitude as the device bias is varied from subthreshold
into Strong inversion.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 27 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

•  BSIM3 Noise model concept

1.Incorporates both the oxide-tap-induced carrier number and correlated surface Mobility
fluctuation mechanisms
2. The model is applicable to long channel, as well as submicron n and p channel MOSFET
3. Noise characteristics over the linear, saturation, and subthreshold operating regions

Fraction of change of the channel current

- equ 1

First term : carrier number of fluctuation

Second term : fluctuation of surface mobility
Cross-section view of the transistor, with the N : Carrier density
Coordinate system defined as shown. Nt : the number of filled traps per unit area

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 28 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

- equ 2 - equ 3
The ratio of the fluctuation in carrier number to fluctuations in occupied trap number
is close to unity at strong inversion.

A general expression for R is

- equ 4 - equ 5

More concise form as - equ 6 where

Typical values of is
To evaluate

- equ 7 : Matthiessen’s rule

: is mobility limited by oxide charge scattering, : Scattering coefficient

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 29 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

- equ 8

Substituting equ 4 and equ 8 into equ 1 yields

- equ 9

Therefore, the power spectral density of the local current fluctuations can be written as:

- equ 10

- equ 11

: Attenuation coefficient of the electron wave function in the oxide

: Trapping time constant, : trap occupied function
: electron quasi Fermi level,

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 30 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

Substituting equ 11 into equ 10 yields

- equ 12

Total drain current noise power is then:

- equ 13

It can be rewritten as:

- equ 14

With

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 31 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

Let - equ 15

A= B=

In the linear region

Using eqn 13 and Id equation as following:

- eqn 16 a: takes into account bulk charge effect

By substituting eqn 16 into eqn 14

- eqn 17

with

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 32 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

- eqn 18
Substituting above equation into equ 17 and performing the integration yield

- eqn 19

 Linear region equation

In the saturation region
At , the channel current can be divided into the “triode” and “pinch-off” regions
Accordingly, the flicker noise power is made up of two parts :

- eqn 20

- equ 21

with Saturation region equation

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 33 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

In the subthreshold region, diffusion current dominates, and therefore the drain current
diminished exponentially with decreasing gate voltage.

- eqn 22

with
Substituting equ 22 into equ 14 and after some manipulation yields:

- eqn 23 where

In the subthreshold region it is reasonable to assume that and

 Subthreshold region equation

Then eqn 17 turns out to be

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 34 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

Comparison measure and simulation

Device information : 3um CMOS technology, W=9.5um L=4.5um, Tox=50nm,
Nsub : 1X1015 cm-3
Reference paper: Physical based mosfet noise model for circuit simulators

The noise spectrum clearly reveals a very

close to unity. The observed frequency dependence a
uniform Spatial distribution near the interface, as a
non-uniform distribution will cause to deviate from
unity !!

But most of experimental values for the slope of

noise Spectra density are rarely exactly 1 but varies
from 0.7 to 1.2. This might be due to a number of
reasons, Such as generation-recombination noise
and non-uniform distribution of traps.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 35 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

The measured drain current noise power at 100Hz

Fig 1. bias dependence of the drain Fig 2. Input referred noise power ( Svg )
current noise power

1.  The input referred noise power is equal to the drain current noise power divided by the square of
the transconductance (gm2).

2. The input referred noise is almost independent of the bias point in both linear and saturation
regions.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 36 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

•  Another n channel MOSFET by submicron NMOS technology

Device information : Tox : 8.6nm, Nsub : 5X1017 cm-3 , W=4.5um,
L=4.5um

Fig 3. bias dependence of the drain Fig 4. Input referred noise power ( Svg )
current noise power

The input referred noise power of the submicron technology shows strong
dependence on the bias point in both linear and saturation regions.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 37 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

• Another n channel MOSFET by submicron NMOS technology

Device information : Tox : 28.5nm, Nsub : 2.6X1016 cm-3 , W=20um,
L=1.9um

Fig 5. noise power measure in strong inversion, as well Fig 6. Bias dependence of noise power in the
as subthreshold regions for N channel MOSFET subthreshold and strong inversion regions

The input referred noise power of the submicron technology shows strong dependence on the bias point in
both linear and saturation regions

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 38 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

• Another n channel MOSFET by submicron NMOS technology

Device information : Tox : 8.6nm, Nsub : 5X1017 cm-3, W=20um,
L=0.65um

Fig 7. noise power measure in strong inversion, as well Fig 8. Bias dependence of noise power in the
as subthreshold regions for N channel MOSFET subthreshold and strong inversion regions

1.  Short channel effects on the flicker noise characteristics are evident through comparison of Fig 6 and 8.
2. For short channel device, the drain current noise power continues to increase with the drain voltage beyond
the saturation point in both the strong inversion and subthreshold regions.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 39 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

• Another p channel MOSFET by submicron PMOS technology

Device information : Tox : 8.8nm, Nsub : 1X1014 cm-3, W=4um, L=5um

Fig 9. noise power measure in strong inversion, as Fig 10. Bias dependence of noise power in
well as subthreshold regions for P channel MOSFET the subthreshold and strong inversion regions

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 40 -

 BSIM3 1/f Noise Concept

• Another p channel MOSFET by submicron PMOS technology

Device information : Tox : 8.8nm, Nsub : 1X1014 cm-3 , W=3.2um,
L=2um

Generation – recombination symptom

Significant deviation from the 1/f

frequency dependence

The additional noise source is believed

to be the g-r noise arising from the
substrate defect centers, which were
introduced during boron implantation

Fig 7. bias dependence of the drain current noise

power of a buried channel p channel MOSFET

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 41 -

 Impact of process scaling on 1/f noise

•  The influence of the gate-oxide thickness, substrate dope, and the gate bias on the input-
referred spectral 1/f noise density
Reference paper : Impact of process scaling on 1/f noise in advanced cmos technologies.

Device information : W=10um, L=4um ( Nmos, Pmos) , Tox : 2, 3.6, 5, 7.5, 10, and 20nm
Na variants of and
Average at 100Hz

Fig 2. Interface trap density Nit versus Tox.

Fig 1. drain current spectral density vs frequency
with the identical TOX, dope concentration Na, and
identical bias conditions (PMOS).

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 42 -

 Impact of process scaling on 1/f noise

Fig 3. Svg versus Tox (NMOS) Fig 4. Svg versus Tox (PMOS)

Decreases with decreasing Tox. Fig 5 shows that

of NMOS depends stronger on Tox than that of PMOS

Fig 5. the power p versus Vgt

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 43 -

 Impact of process scaling on 1/f noise

Fig 6. Svg versus Vgt

For Large Tox, of PMOS shows a stronger dependence on Vgt than that of NMOS.
For small Tox, both NMOS and PMOS show a strong Vgt dependence. The substrate doing
concentration Na affectes as well. With a 10X increase of Na, it enlarges with a factor 3+/- 1.5.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 44 -

 How to Model for SPICE2 1/f Noise

• How to modeling for SPICE2 1/f Noise

Reference : 1/f noise modeling for semiconductors ( F.Sischka , Agilent Technologies)

: Drain current noise spectral density

: Drain – source effective noise current

with

Or simplified :

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 45 -

 How to Model for SPICE2 (1/f Noise)

Normalize to then set

: Drain current noise spectral density

 Eqn 1

Step 1: EF parameter extraction (1/f slope ) : A log conversion of eqn 1

Constant
We apply a regression curve fitting. The parameter EF is the –slope.
Step 2: EF slope is now modeled, we can get rid of it by multiplying the
measured curve with the frequency point

 Eqn 2

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 46 -

 How to Model for SPICE2 (1/f Noise)

: identify the value of the noise at 1Hz

 Eqn 3

A log conversion of eqn 3

What can be interpreted as a linear function like

W apply a regression curve fitting.

where Y-intercept ‘a’ and the slope ‘b’ of a best
Fitting line.

The noise parameters AF and KF are then calculated after

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 47 -

 How to Model for SPICE2 (1/f Noise)

Sid (A2/HZ)
Sid (A2/HZ)

Fig 1. Vg =0.6V, Vds=1V. Fig 2. Vg =sweep, Vds=1V.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 48 -

 How to Model for SPICE2 (1/f Noise)

Sid@1Hz (A2/HZ)
Sid (A2/HZ)

Fig 3. Vg =0.6V, Vds=1V. Fig 4. Vg =sweep, Vds=1V.

Multiply by in order to easier
EF parameter extraction Extract the 1Hz value of the noise

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 49 -

 How to Model for SPICE2 (1/f Noise)

Sid@1Hz (A2/HZ)
Sid@1Hz (A2/HZ)

Fig 5. Noise spectra density @ 1Hz. Fig 6. Noise spectra density @

1Hz versus Id_current, AF, KF
parameters extraction.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 50 -

 How to Model for SPICE2 (1/f Noise)

Sid (A2/HZ)

Fig 7. Noise spectra density versus Frequency.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 51 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

•  MOSFET investigated in all operating regions.  By Heijningen, et al.

(linear and saturation range in strong inversion and subthreshold)
Reference Paper : CMOS 1/f noise modeling and extraction of BSIM3
parameters using a new extraction procedure.

1) In the subthreshold region

: BSIM3 V3
 Eqn 1

NOIA is the subthreshold noise parameter

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 52 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

To ensure the continuity between subthreshold and above threshold data

: Linking method  Eqn 2

Where is the flicker noise measured at

2) In the above threshold region

In the strong inversion ( )

: BSIM3 V3  Eqn 3

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 53 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

: BSIM3 V3  Eqn 3

Since
Model, saturation

With

is the reduction in the electrical channel length due to the drain depletion into the
channel in saturation regime.

: Corresponds to the critical electrical field at

which the carrier velocity become saturated

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 54 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

is the maximum electric field =

3) In the ohmic region (At Lower Vds biases)

The equation simplified ( Linear Equation )

Then the expression “Eqn 3” can be approximated

 Eqn 4

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 55 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

•  Model Parameter Extraction

Step 1: from noise measurements performed in the subthreshold range.
the parameter NOIA can be extracted using following equation.

: BSIM3 V3
 Eqn 1

: A log conversion of eqn 1

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 56 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

a is y-intercept point

Step 2: noise measurement are performed for various effective gate bias (Vgs-Vt)
in the ohmic range ( Typically Vds=50mV or 100mV). Then we obtained
vs Vgs-Vt, the obtained variations at low effective gate bias
allow us to extract the NOIB parameter. So knowing NOIB, the parameter
NOIC can be induced from the variation at large Vgs-Vt values.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 57 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

Step 3: three noise parameters will be matched with the help of noise
measurements performed at higher Vds biases but always smaller than
Vds, sat, in fact in this case the noise is a function of the three noise
parameters and remains equal to zero

Step 4: in the saturation range, Litl and are calculated if the junction
depth is known, otherwise they deduced by a fit of the experimental data

•  Experimental detail
Device information : N type and P type transistors with various gate geometries
W=20um, ,Tox: 16nm (0.8um CMOS technology)

Conductance parameters have been carried-out with

a set of transfer characteristics Id(Vgs) collected in the ohmic range

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 58 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

Table 1. conductance parameters for n- and p-channel transistors.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 59 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

For transistors with large area, straightforward 1/f noise have been observed and then EF=1.

Can be obtained taking into account

S swing parameter of the subthreshold

Fig 1. Typical subthreshold Sid

Versus drain current Ids at f=10Hz.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 60 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

Can be obtained taking into account

S swing parameter of the subthreshold

For PMOS For NMOS

In the ohmic regions

The parameter of NOIB is slope !!

1) For p type, it is proportional to Vgs-Vt
as expected above equation.
2) For n type, it is independent of the effective
gate voltage.
Fig 2. Sid/ueff2 in the ohmic range
versus the effective gate voltage at f=1Hz.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 61 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

At higher effective gate voltage ( Vgs-Vt >2V)

a quadratic dependence is obtained.

Using above equation and taking into account

The previous NOIB parameters we can deduce
the NOIC parameters. Then the extracted mean
Value are respectively.

For PMOS
Fig 3. variation of the parameter
NOIB vs the effective gate voltage. For NMOS

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 62 -

 How to Model for BSIM3V3 (1/f Noise)

• Model verification
Noise measure : from subthreshold to strong inversion at Vds=4V.
Measured data are compared to simulated ones provided by below equation

The transistor is biased in saturation regime, we take into account the influence
of the reduction in the electrical channel length by fitting the “Litl” parameter.
For PMOS For NMOS

Fig 5. experiment vs simulation (n type).

Fig 4. experiment vs simulation (p type).

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 63 -

 Advanced Noise Model

• Quantitative analysis of the improved flicker noise model

Hot electron stressing
Reference paper : Improved Flicker noise model for submicron mosfet devices
Theory
1) hot-carrier stressing degrades the operating lifetime of the devices
2) The high electric field (Emax) heats up and accelerates the electrons in the
pinch-off region –> generate the EHP.
3) Generated electron are injected into the gate oxide.
 increasing the number of filled oxide traps higher 1/f spectral density

overshoot 0.35um device

Vdd=3V
30 minutes stressing

Fig 1. before stressing. Fig 2. after stressing.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 64 -
 Advanced Noise Model

Two modification
1) The increase in generated interface traps.
2) The shift in threshold voltage.

 Final improved noise model

: generated oxide traps imply a higher oxide trap density Nt and
this is reflected in new parameters

: Vth shift explain

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 65 -

 Advanced Noise Model

Input referred noise

where

 Last term in typically ranges between 0.27 and 0.45.

Technology 0.35um
CMOS process

Fig 3. comparison of measured data with

improved 1/f noise model before stressing.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 66 -

 Advanced Noise Model

Hot Carrier Effect

Fig 4. comparison of measured data Fig 5. comparison of input referred noise

with improved 1/f noise model after voltage. The gate bias dependence of the
stressing. 1/f noise overshoot is due noise in submicron devices is accurately
to hot-carrier stressing. modeled by the improved Model.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 67 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

• A new 1/f noise model of MOSFETs for circuit simulation down to 100nm
Tech.
Reference paper: Modeling of 1/f noise with HiSIM for 100nm CMOS technology
• Shortcoming of existing 1/f noise models
1) Hardly reproduce the strong gate length dependence
2) Hardly reproduce the bias dependence with a single model
3) Large increase of noise by reducing the gate length
4) Stronger channel length dependence than predicted by the conventional
1/LW linear relation
• HiSIM model developed !!
1) Carrier density distribution along the channel
2) 1/f noise valid for all gate lengths with a single parameter set
3) Accuracy for any bias conditions and gate lengths with a single model parameter set

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 68 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

Fig 1. drain current of nmos Fig 2. linear condition. Fig 3. saturation condition.
with different gate length under
linear condition.
•  1/f noise model Assumption
•  Uniform trap density and energy distribution in the
Oxide layer

Fig 1. and Fig 2. show that trap density and energy distribution is spatially non-uniform in the
oxide layer !!

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 69 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

The difference in the noise spectra between the forward

and backward measurement becomes clear under the
saturation

No difference in the measured drain current is observed

by exchange

 Position dependent trap density and energy along the

channel direction

Fig 4. saturation condition.

Lorentzian Noise

1)  A is a magnitude of the Lorentzian noise determining Trap density

2) t is a time constant of the carriers in the G-R process

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 70 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

Fig 6. Length =0.12um

Inhomogeneous trap site

on the noise characteristics
is enhanced due to the
reduced gate length !!

Fig 5. Three dashed lines represent

Ideal 1/f spectra and the dotted line in
The results fitted with Lorentzian eqn.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 71 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

Lg=0.46um at f=100Hz

As a circuit-simulation model it is a
subject to describe only this averaged 1/f
noise characteristics with boundaries as
the worst and the best case.

Fig 7. By averaging the noise spectra

over chips on a wafer.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 72 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

•  Model description
where

: Coefficient of the carrier fluctuation

the ratio of the trap density to attenuation coefficient into the oxide.
To develop an precise 1/f noise model

1) Current Ids is important

2) Position dependent carrier concentration along the channel N(x)

HiSIM provides the carrier concentrations at the source No and drain side NL
determined by surface potentials consistently.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 73 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

N(x) will be decreasing from No to NL

Fig 8. The inversion charge density at the source and
drain side or pinch-off point in saturation mode
 Length=1um
In the pinch-off region carriers loose the gate voltage
control and number of carrier reduced
 Diminished trapping /detrapping process

Fig 9. simulated number of channel electrons colliding

with the oxide interface per unit time
 Diminished noise power arises from the pinch-off region
 The L should be changed by
 Length=0.12um

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 74 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

Final analytical equation of the 1/f noise

are calculated by HiSIM

Fig 10. Comparison of the Vgs dependence of the measured and simulated
drain current noise with various Length ( 1u, 0.46u, 0.12u ) f=100Hz

Average model N(x) model

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 75 -

 1/f noise with HiSIM model

Average N(x) model cannot reproduce the bias dependences of the Sid for all channel lengths
with a single model-parameter set.

Fig 11. Comparison of the Vds dependence of the measured and simulated drain current
noise with various Length ( 1u, 0.46u, 0.12u )and fixed width=10um.
 The noise enhancement for larger Vds is not well reproduced.

Fig 12. Fixed Wg= 10um , f=100Mhz Length is varied.

 The well-confirmed 1/LW dependence

 But the deviation from the linear relationship is
observed beyond Lg=0.14um

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 76 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  Silvaco Noise Box (S3245A Noise Amplifier)

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 77 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

• Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

GPIB address

SMU define
SMU

S3245A Calibration

GPIB Box setup

System serial port 1
DSA instrument setup

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 78 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

• Hardware setup ( Utmost v.21.12.3.R )

( DSA setup  35670A )
•  Vertical Units: In order to obtain V2/HZ for the spectrum density curves. This
should be set to VOLT2
•  Fixed Scale Limit: Upper limit for the DSA’s vertical scale
•  MAG coordinate: Vertical scale setting for Linear or Log, Typical is Log
•  Auto Scale: Auto scale for vertical scale after the measurement is finished
•  Auto Cal: Allows DSA to calibrate itself when needed
•  Single Cal: It runs a single calibration during the initialization process.
•  # of Averages: the rms average is on. Typical setting is 10
•  Start Freq (Hz): Measurement start frequency. Typical setting is 10
•  Freq.span (Hz): the stop frequency =start freq+ freq.span
•  Freq.axis: Horizontal scale setting “ Linear or Log. Typical is Log
•  Window: Typical setting is Uniform
•  Coupling: DSA’s input coupling. AC or DC coupling is available
•  Run Setup: DSA Analyzer screen start the initialization process for the DSA.
During the Run Setup operation, the DC Analyzer is not controlled DSA instrument setup

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 79 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  Hardware setup ( Utmost v.21.12.3.R )  Calibration of S3245A

No DC source

GPIB
System

Clear Cal  Setup Cal ”Calibration is successfully completed”

 Check the Noise floor at DSA screen  Noise floor should be below -100db
 If not satisfaction  Turn the light off  tried to re-calibration

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 80 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  Hardware setup ( Utmost v.21.12.3.R )  setup screen

Select_model
KF extraction
NLEV=0
NLEV=1
NLEV=2

NOIA,NOIB,NOIC
For NOIMOD=2
Should be set to
3, 4 for select_model

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 81 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  SILVACO Noise Models

Noise Model 1/f noise Thermal Noise

NLEV=0

NLEV=1

NLEV=2

NLEV=3

NOIMOD=1

NOIMOD=2

NOIMOD=3

NOIMOD=4

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 82 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

• Hardware setup
(Utmost v.21.12.3.R)  setup screen
•  VDS_start: Starting VDS
•  VDS_step: VDS_step
•  #_of_VDSstep: Number of step for VDS biasing
•  VGS_start: Starting VGS
•  #_of_VGSstep: Number of step for VGS biasing
•  Amp_gain: S3245A amp gain (121)
•  IDS_measured: Measured IDS current
•  decade_sweep: The Utmost will measure at each decade
•  gm_measured: during the DC biasing of the MOS . The gm is
measured
•  gds_measured: during the DC biasing of the MOS. The gds is
measured
•  VDS_ext: S3245A had a load resistor in series to the MOS device’s
drain. Due to the loading resistor the external VDS bias should be
higher than the actual VDS applied to the device. Utmost iterate the
external VDS bias until the internal VDS is reached to the specified VDS
•  debias_DC: if set to 0 the final DC bias conditions will be applied to the
MOS device after the noise data is collected from the DSA. This is useful if the
same measurement needs to be repeated manually

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 83 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  1/f noise Modeling (Utmost v.21.12.3.R)  Measurement (V2/HZ )

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 84 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  1/f Noise Modeling (Utmost v.21.12.3.R)  Measurement A2/HZ 

Flicker noise voltage V2/HZ=Flicker noise current*(Rparalel) 2

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 85 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  1/f Noise Modeling (Utmost v.21.12.3.R)  Fitting (NOIMOD=2)

NOIA, NOIB,
NOIC, EF, EM
Extracted

Optimization with
External
SmartSpice

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 86 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

• Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 87 -

 Noise measurement and modeling using Utmost

•  1/f Noise Modeling (Utmost v.21.12.3.R)  Optimization (NLEV=3)

Target
(Saturation mode)

Target
(Saturation mode)
?

(Linear mode)
Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 88 -
 Thermal Noise Concept

• Thermal Noise Concept (Johnson Noise , Nyquist Noise)

1) Thermal noise is the voltage fluctuations caused by the random Brownian motion of
electrons in a resistive medium
2) It is broadband white noise
3) It increases with increasing resistance and temperature
4) A fifty ohm resistor has about of thermal noise
5) Thermal noise provides of current even in the absence of an external bias

(a) Ideal Resistor (b) Physical Resistor

 Non-physical resistor, carrier “randomly”  Can model random current
collide with lattice atoms, giving rise to component using a noise current
current variation over time source i(t)

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 89 -

 Thermal Noise Concept

• Current signal with period T, the average power is given by:

Non-deterministic random process

PSD (power spectral density)

Drop R in the above expression

because of Power equal to i(t)*v(t)

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 90 -

 Thermal Noise Concept

• PSD shows how much power a signal caries at a particular frequency:

About 10% drop at 2Ghz

Two-side PSD One-side PSD

Nyquist showed that the noise PSD of a resistor is

Is the Boltzmann constant and T is the absolute temperature

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 91 -

 Thermal Noise Concept

• The total average noise power of resistor in a certain frequency band is:

Noise can be calculated using either an equivalent voltage or current generator.

Thevenin form Norton form

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 92 -

 Thermal Noise Concept

•  Two Resistor in series

 Uncorrelated signal

KT/C noise (Low pass filter)

MOS saturation mode

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 93 -

 Thermal Noise Concept

•  Low pass filter

 Transfer function

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 94 -

 MOS Thermal Noise

•  MOSFET thermal noise model (SPICE2)

 Drain noise current PSD

 Average channel resistance

 Old model

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 95 -

 MOS Thermal Noise

•  New Model for the thermal noise

 PSD in saturation
• Shortcoming
•  1) This expression is incomplete for the saturation
•  2) It can’t be used in the triode region.  when for Vds0 it gives a value of thermal
noise equal to zero

  The correct expression for the noise has to take into account the effect of the
conductance due to channel modulation in saturation

 SPICE2 model

  for Vds 0 the thermal noise depends on the channel conductance

where

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 96 -

 MOS Thermal Noise

Limit condition for all operation regions is valid for

•  Using above equation

if

if

What’s “2/3” means in thermal noise model?

For long channel MOSFET

For short channel MOSFET

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 97 -

 MOS Thermal Noise

•  BSIM3V3.2.2 or before Thermal Noise model

BSIM3V3.3 Thermal Noise model

Noise Model Flag in BSIM3 model

NOIMOD flag Flicker Noise model Thermal noise model

1 SPICE2 SPICE2
2 BSIM3V3 BSIM3V3
3 BSIM3V3 SPICE2
4 SPICE2 BSIM3V3

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 98 -

 MOS Noise

•  SPICE2 1/f noise

For 0.35um CMOS

KF is strongly dependent on technology

•  BSIM3V3 1/f noise

For 0.35um CMOS

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 99 -

 MOS Noise

•  1/f Noise Corner

For example

In more recent technologies. 1/f corner

frequencies can be on the order of 10MHz.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 100 -

 Another Noise

•  Another Noise source

Shot Noise (caused by current flowing across a junction): the shot noise relates to the
dc current flow across a certain potential barrier.

Generation-recombination Noise: trapping

centers in the bulk of the device can cause
GR Noise

Impact ionization noise: this noise is

generated in the impact ionization
process . The amount of noise proportional
to Isub. When the impact ionization noise
dominates, nmos have more noise
than pmos.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 101 -

 Noise Modeling – Bipolar Noise

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 102 -

 Measurement System Configuration

•  Measurement System for 1/f Noise of MOS and Bipolar

Shielding chamber
Battery Spectrum
Analyzer
DUT LNA (HP35670A)

RD should be
Battery matching to gds
or gm
DUT

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 103 -

 Bipolar Equivalent Circuit

LNA -3db frequency is almost 16Mhz

Noise spectral density is

Spectrum
Analyzer
(HP35670A)

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 104 -

 Bipolar Equivalent Circuit

•  Equivalent Circuit
Thermal Noise

Thermal Noise model

Flicker noise + i= emiter, base, collector

Shot noise
Shot noise
Flicker noise + shot noise

Thermal Noise

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 105 -

 Noise parameter extraction

• AF, KF and BF/EF Noise Parameter Extraction

Reference document : Agilent Technologies GmbH, Munich
(Noise modeling for semiconductor)
For the BJT models, the origin of the 1/f noise is the Base region. However the effective
1/f current noise spectra density [A^2/HZ] is measured at the Collector of the transistor.
Therefore, the 1/f noise at the base has to be calculated first:

VBIC95 model

1/f effective noise current at the Base

BF to fit the -10dB/decade slope of 1/f noise

By multiplying

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 106 -

 Noise parameter extraction

Apply a logarithmic conversion to the above formula

Interpreted as a linear function like

where

A linear regression applied (y-intersect ‘a’ and slope ‘b’)

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 107 -

 Noise parameter extraction

Measured noise current at the Collector

iB=1uA, Vce=2V

iB=1uA~5uA (5 different base current)

Vce=2V(fixed)

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 108 -

 Noise parameter extraction

The 1/f noise source of a bipolar transistor is located and modeled in the Base region
Therefore we have to divided the above obtained collector current noise spectral density
Sic by beta2.

Obtained Sib at the Base

1HZ values of the 1/f
current noise spectra
density.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 109 -

 Noise parameter extraction

Finally, we are ready to draw the 1HZ base noise data points against the DC bias.

Simulation results of the collector

current noise spectra density.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 110 -

 Noise parameter extraction

Reference Paper : Accurate extraction method for 1/f noise parameters used in gummel-poon
type bipolar junction transistor models.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 111 -

 Noise parameter extraction

Final measured and simulated power spectra densities of low frequency noise.

Type DUT A DUT B

AF 1.304 1.478
KF 64.73e-15 107.4e-15
Low frequency noise parameters for several transistors.

Noise Modeling in MOSFET and Bipolar Devices - 112 -