Characterizing Self-Heating Dynamics Using Cyclostationary Measurements

Self-heating in surrounding gate transistors can degrade its on-current performance and reduce lifetime. If a transistor heats/cools with time-constants less than the inverse of the operating frequency, a predictable, frequency-independent performance is expected; if not, the signal pattern must be optimized for highest performance. Typically, time-constants are measured by expensive, ultra-fast instruments with high temporal resolution. Instead, here we demonstrate an alternate, inexpensive, cyclostationary measurement technique to characterize self-heating (and cooling) with sub-microsecond resolution. The results are independently confirmed by direct imaging of the transient heating/cooling of the channel temperature by the thermoreflectance (TR) method. A routine use of the proposed technique will help improve the surrounding gate transistor design and shorten the design cycle.