Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology

RF MOS TRANSISTOR MODELING

FOR SUBSTRATE COUPLING

Christian Enz

christian.enz@csem.ch
 INTRODUCTION
vStrong demand for low-cost, small form-factor and
low-power transceivers
vDeep submicron CMOS well suited for wireless

4High ft and good RF noise performance

4High integration capabilities

vDesign of RF ICs remains a challenge

vCrucial to accurately predict performance of RF ICs

vRequires accurate MOST models valid for all bias

from dc to RF and for a large range of geometries

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 2
 OUTLINE
v MOST Transistor Modeling at RF
4Equivalent circuit at RF
4Approximate Y-parameters analysis

v Effect of Intra-Device Substrate Coupling

4Output admittance
4Thermal noise

v Conclusion

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 3

 TYPICAL RF MULTIFINGER DEVICE
vRF MOS Transistors are usually large devices
vImplemented as multi-finger devices due to limited

width
Wf
D
Lf Nf : # of fingers
S
G Wf : width of a single finger
D

S Lf : length of a single finger

D Weff=Nf·Wf : total width

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 4

 MOST EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT
B G (G) Drain
S (S) Gate D (D) Substrate (B)
Substrate (B) Source

Rg
gi
Cgbo Cgso Cgdo
intrinsic part
Rs Mi Rd of compact
si di
S D model
Dsb Ddb
Rdsb
bi db

Rsb Rdb
B B
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 5
 QUASI-STATIC SMALL-SIGNAL MODEL
(in saturation)
I1 Rg gi
G Bulk referenced model:
Cgb Cgs Cgd
Im
I m = Ym ⋅ (V (gi ) − V (bi ))
S
Rs si Ims di Rd I2
D I ms = Yms ⋅ (V (si ) − V (bi ))
V1 gds
Ym = g m − jωCm
Csb Cdb V2
bi Rdsb
db Yms = n ⋅ Ym = g ms − jωCms
Rsb Rdb
B B Ym = g m ⋅ (1 − jωτ qs )
C gs = C gsi + C gso Yms = g ms ⋅ (1 − jωτ qs )
Csb = Csbi + C jsb
C gd = C gdi + C gdo Cm Cms
Cdb = Cdbi + C jdb τ qs = =
C gb = C gbi + C gbo g m g ms
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 6
 APPROXIMATE Y-PARAMETERS
v Assuming ωRgCgg << 1 and neglecting substrate
resistances
Y11 ≅ ω 2 Rg C gg
2
+ jω C gg
Y12 ≅ −ω 2 Rg C gg C gd − jω C gd
Y21 ≅ g m − ω 2 Rg C gg ⋅ (Cm + C gd )− jω ⋅ (Cm + C gd )
Y22 ≅ g ds + ω 2 Rg C gg ⋅ (Cbd + C gd )+ jω ⋅ (Cbd + C gd )

C gg ≡ C gs + C gd + C gb

v Can be used for direct extraction

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 7
 MEASURED VERSUS ANALYTICAL
Y-PARAMETERS
N-channel, Nf = 10, Wf = 12 µm, Lf = 0.36 µm, VG = 1 V, VD = 1 V
1 15
measured
Re{y11} analytical Im{y11} 10
0.5
[mA/V] [mA/V] 5
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
0.2 0
Without
Re{y12} Im{y12} -1
0 trans-
[mA/V] [mA/V] -2
capacitance
-0.2 -3
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
30 0
Cm=0
Re{y21} 20 Im{y21} -2
-4
[mA/V] 10 Substrate [mA/V] -6
0 coupling -8
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
effect 8
2.0
Re{y22} Im{y22} 6
4
[mA/V] 1.0 [mA/V] 2
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
Frequency [GHz] Frequency [GHz]
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 8
 INTRA-DEVICE SUBSTRATE COUPLING
B S G D

D sb Ddb
(Cjsb ) Rdsb (C jdb )
R sb R db
Eliminate to G [Liu, IEDM 97] [Tiemeijer, ESSDERC 98]
save 1 node
Rg bi bi
gi sb db sb db
Cgbo Cgso Cgdo
Rs R B B B B
S Mi di d D
si

Dsb Ddb [Tin, CICC 99]

Rdsb bi bi
sb bi
db sb db sb db
Rsb Rdb
B B B B B B

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 9

SUBSTRATE RESISTANCES SCALING
Symmetric “Horse-shoe” Rsb ∝
1
substrate contacts substrate contacts Ns
B B

S S

D D

G S 1 G S
Rdb ∝
D Wf D

S S
B B
1 1
Rsb ∝ Rdb ∝
Wf Nd
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 10
SUBSTRATE NETWORK EXTRACTION (1/2)
deembedding
Rg and Rd
′
Y22    → Y22

Y22 ′
Y22

v Assuming Rs << Rds simplifies schematic

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 11
SUBSTRATE NETWORK EXTRACTION (2/2)
deembeddin g
C gd and Rds 1
′    → Ysub
Y22 ′ −
≅ Y22 − jωC gd
Rds
′
Y22 Ysub

v gmb estimated from gm

v g extracted from Re{Y’ } at low-frequency
m 21
v R ≈R , R
sb db dsb, Csb and Cdb extracted by local optimization
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 12
 EXTRACTED Ysub
N-channel, Nf = 20, Wf = 10 µm, Lf = 0.5 µm, VG = 1.18 V, VD = 1 V, VS = 0 V

-3
6.0x10
Cgb + Csb=334 fF Im{Ysub}
5.0 Cdb=114 fF
Re{Ysub} and Im{Ysub} [A/V]

Rdsb=19 Ω
Rsb=Rdb=180 Ω
4.0

3.0 Re{Ysub}

2.0

1.0 meas.
sim.
0.0
0 2 4 6 8 10
Frequency [GHz]

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 13

Y-PARAMETERS VERSUS FREQUENCY
N-channel, Nf = 10, Wf = 12 µm, Lf = 0.36 µm, VG = 1 V, VD = 1 V , EKV v2.6
1 15
measured
Re{y11} analytical Im{y11} 10
0.5 simulation
[mA/V] [mA/V] 5
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
0.2 0
Re{y12} Im{y12} -1
0
[mA/V] [mA/V] -2
-0.2 -3
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
30 0
Re{y21} 20 Im{y21} -2
[mA/V] 10 -4
[mA/V] -6
0 -8
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
8
Re{y22} 2.0 Im{y22} 6
4
[mA/V] 1.0 [mA/V] 2
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
Frequency [GHz] Frequency [GHz]
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 14
Y-PARAMETERS VERSUS FREQUENCY
N-channel, Nf = 10, Wf = 12 µm, Lf = 0.36 µm, VG = 1 V, VD = 1 V
-3
x10
1 0.015

Im{y11} [A/V]
Re{y11} [A/V]
0.01
0.5
0.005
0 0
0
-4 2 4 6 8 10 -3 0 2 4 6 8 10
x10 1 x10
0
Re{y21} [A/V] Re{y12} [A/V]

Im{y12} [A/V]
-1
0
-2
-1 -3
0 2 4 6 8 10 -3 0 2 4 6 8 10
x10
0.03 0

Im{y21} [A/V]
-2
0.02
measured -4
0.01 ekv
ekv (scalable) -6
bsim3 (scalable)
0 -8
0 -3 2 4 6 8 10 -3 0 2 4 6 8 10
x10 x10 8
2.5
Re{y22} [A/V]

Im{y22} [A/V]
2.0 6
1.5
4
1.0
0.5 2
0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 0 2 4 6 8 10
Frequency [GHz] Frequency [GHz]
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 15
 Y-PARAMETERS VERSUS BIAS
N-channel, Nf = 10, Wf = 12 µm, Lf = 0.36 µm, f = 1 GHz, VD = 0.5, 1, 1.5 V, EKV v2.6
20 2
Re{y11} Im{y11}
[µA/V] 10 [mA/V] 1
0 0
10 0
Re{y12} Im{y12}
[µA/V] 0
[mA/V]
-0.5
-10 -1
30 0
Re{y21} measured
20 simulation Im{y21}
[mA/V] -0.5
10 [mA/V]
0 -1
-1
10-2 2
Re{y22} 10-3 Im{y22}
[A/V] 10-4 [mA/V] 1
10-5
10 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 0 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
ID / Ispec ID / Ispec
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 16
 NOISE MODEL IN SATURATION
Channel thermal noise:
Sind = 4kT ⋅ Gnch
Gnch = α sat ⋅ g m
2
α sat = n ⋅ γ sat = n ≅ 0 .9
3
Induced gate noise:
Sing = 4kT ⋅ Gng

Gng = β sat
(ωCgs )2
gm
δ 4
β sat = = ≅ 0 .2
5n 15n
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 17
 NOISY TWO-PORT
I1 INout I1 vn I2
Noisy in Noiseless
Ys V1 V1 V2
two-port two-port

Ys ≡ Gs + jBs S v ( f ) ≡ 4kT ⋅ Rv ( f ) Si ( f ) ≡ 4kT ⋅ Gi ( f )

v Noise sources vn and in are usually correlated
Gi = Giu + Gic = Giu + Yc 2 ⋅ Rv
{ { {
uncorrelated correlated correlation
admittance
in ⋅ v*n
Yc ≡ Gc + jBc =
vn2
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 18
NOISE FACTOR & NOISE PARAMETERS
F = Fmin +
Rv
Gs
( [ )2
(
⋅ Gs − Gopt + Bs − Bopt )2
]
vFmin, Rv, Gopt and Bopt (or Γopt) are the four noise
parameters extracted from noise measurements
vF=F
min for Gs=Gopt AND Bs=Bopt (noise matching)
vThe circuit parameters G , G and B are given by
i c c
2
2
Gi = Yopt ⋅ Rv = Gopt 2
+ Bopt (
⋅ Rv )
Fmin − 2 RvGopt − 1 Bc = − Bopt
Gc =
2 Rv
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 19
 SIMPLE MOST NOISE ANALYSIS (1/3)
I1 Rg I2
channel
gate ing gm·Vgsi gmb·Vbsi ind
noise
resistance V1 Cgs inrsub V2
Vgsi
Rsub
noise Vbsi
substrate
induced
noise
gate noise

Rg = 3 Ω gm = 17 mA/V αsat = 0.87

Rsub = 120 Ω gmb = 5.1 mA/V βsat = 0.2

Cgs = 180 fF ft ≈ 15 GHz cg = 0.4

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 20

 SIMPLE MOST NOISE ANALYSIS (2/3)
α sat Dc ≅ 1 + α g + α sub
Rv = ⋅ Dc
gm g m ⋅ Rg
αg = ≅ 0.05
α sat
Dc ⋅ψ − χ 2
Gopt ≅ ωC gs ⋅ g 2mb ⋅ Rsub
Dc α sub ≡ ≅ 0 .2
α sat ⋅ g m
χ ψ ≅ 1.621 + α sub
Bopt = − Bc ≅ −ωC gs ⋅
Dc χ ≅ 1.192 + α sub

ω
Fmin ≅ 1 + 2 ⋅ Rv ⋅ Gopt ≅ 1 + ⋅ 2α sat ⋅ Dc ⋅ψ − χ 2
ωt
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 21
 SIMPLE MOST NOISE ANALYSIS (3/3)
α sat
Rv = ⋅ (1 + α g + α sub )
gm
1 + 8α g + 1.184α sub
Gopt ≅ ωC gs ⋅ 0.45 ⋅ ≅ ωC gs ⋅ 0.47
1 + α g + α sub

1 + 0.834α sub
Bopt = − Bc ≅ −ωC gs ⋅ 1.192 ⋅ ≅ −ωC gs ⋅ 1.1
1 + α g + α sub

ω ω
Fmin ≅ 1 + ⋅ α sat ⋅ 0.9 ⋅ 1 + 8α g + 1.184α sub ≅ 1 +
ωt ωt
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 22
RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF Rsub (1/2)
1.4 1.4
1.2 1.2

1) ft / f
1.0 1.0
Rv / Ro

0.8 0.8
0.6 0.6

(Fmin
0.4 0.4 without Rsub
without Rsub with Rsub
0.2 with Rsub 0.2 approx
0.0 0.0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
f / ft f / ft

vRsub contributes to about 20% of Rv which is

dominated by channel noise
vF
min is therefore also slightly influenced by Rsub

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 23

RELATIVE CONTRIBUTION OF Rsub (2/2)

0.5 1.2
Gopt Ro ft / f

Bopt Ro ft / f
0.4 1.0
0.8
0.3
0.6
0.2
0.4
0.1 without Rsub
0.2 without Rsub
with Rsub with Rsub
0.0 0.0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
f / ft f / ft

v Gopt and Bopt are almost insensitive to Rsub

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 24

MEAS. AND SIM. NOISE PARAMETERS
N-channel, Nf = 10, Wf = 10 µm, Lf = 0.36 µm, VG = 0.743 V, VD = 1 V, VS = 0 V
EKV v2.6, Z0 = 50 Ω, ID = 1.038 mA, ft = 12.5 GHz
2 2.5
2
NFmin [dB]

1.5

Rv / Zo [-]
1.5
1 αg=0 and αsub=0
1
measure
0.5 0.5 simulation (with ing)
analytic
0 0
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
f / ft f / ft
0.15 0
0.125 -0.05
Gopt·Zo [-]

Bopt·Zo [-]
0.1 -0.1
0.075 -0.15
0.05 -0.2
0.025 -0.25
0 -0.3
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
f / ft f / ft
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 25
 CONCLUSION
v Intra-device substrate coupling mainly affects:
4Output admittance
4RF noise parameters (mainly R and F
v min)
vThis effect has been modeled by adding a resistive
substrate network
vThe scalable RF MOST model has been validated up

to 10 GHz, from moderate to strong inversion and for

several geometries

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 26

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
v F. Pengg from CSEM
vA.-S. Porret, T. Melly and J.-M. Sallese from EPFL

and my former colleagues from Conexant

vY. Cheng, M. Matloubian, M. Schroter, V. Dellatorre

as well as
vD. Pehlke, J. Chen and L. Tocci

© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 27

 INDUCED GATE NOISE (IGN)
(in saturation)
G
noisy piece of channel induced gate noise G
ing noiseless
ing
S D

S D
ind
vn ind drain noise

Sing = 4kT ⋅ Gng (ω ) with Gng (ω ) = δ ⋅

(
ωC gs )2
=β ⋅
(
ωC gs )2
sat
5g ms gm
4 δ
For long-channel in saturation δ= and β sat ≡
3 5n
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 28
 CORRELATION FACTOR OF IGN
Watch sign! G
ing X=0 L
ing noiseless
Sing ,ind
ind c≡
M1 M2 S D Sing ⋅ Sind
vn
ing
ind
Cgd1 Cgs2 i
linear region (VDS = 0)
nd
 0
Rch1 Rch2 c=
+ jc g saturation
vn
+j
Correlation
coefficient
(linear region)

Watch sign!
0

For long-channel c g ≅ 0.4

–j
0 L
source x drain
© C. Enz, Aug. 2001 RF MOS Transistor Modeling for Substrate Coupling 29