SOI technologies, materials and devices

Silicon On Insulator (SOI), considered for a long time as the technology of the 'future', is presently being regarded as the most attractive candidate for low-voltage ULSI circuits. A major condition for competing with bulk silicon is the degree of understanding of material properties, fabrication techniques, and device operation. This paper reviews the main advantages of SOI devices and the various technological approaches. Material characterization techniques and related properties are also addressed. Subsequent sections describe the special mechanisms involved in the operation of thin SOI MOSFETs and the most efficient device-based characterization methods. Finally, it is shown that a key challenge for SOI technology is the control of the device degradation induced by hot-carrier injection.