Hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (a-Si:H TFTs) are used as charge switches in flat-panel X-ray detectors. The inherent noise in the TFTs contributes to the overall noise figure of the detectors and degrades the image quality. Measurements of the noise provide an important parameter for modeling the performance of the detectors and are a sensitive diagnostic tool for device quality. Furthermore, understanding the origins of the noise could lead to change a method of a-Si:H deposition resulting in a reduction of the noise level. This thesis contains measurements of the low-frequency noise in a-Si:H TFTs with an inverted staggered structure. The noise power density spectrum fits well to a power law with Ñ near one. The normalized noise power is inversely proportional to gate voltage and also inversely proportional to channel length in both the linear and saturation regions. The noise is nearly independent of the drain-source voltage and drain-source current. The noise is unaffected by degrading the amorphous silicon through gate-biasing stress. Hooge¡¦s parameter is in the range 1-2*E-3 or 2-4*E-4 depending on whether the parameter is calculated using the total number of charge carriers in the accumulation layer or just the number of free carriers. As an example, the signal to noise ratio is calculated for photodiode detector gated by a TFT using the results from the noise measurements.

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (a-Si:H TFTs) are used as charge switches in flat-panel X-ray detectors. The inherent noise in the TFTs contributes to the overall noise figure of the detectors and degrades the image quality. Measurements of the noise provide an important parameter for modeling the performance of the detectors and are a sensitive diagnostic tool for device quality. Furthermore, understanding the origins of the noise could lead to change a method of a-Si:H deposition resulting in a reduction of the noise level. This thesis contains measurements of the low-frequency noise in a-Si:H TFTs with an inverted staggered structure. The noise power density spectrum fits well to a power law with Ñ near one. The normalized noise power is inversely proportional to gate voltage and also inversely proportional to channel length in both the linear and saturation regions. The noise is nearly independent of the drain-source voltage and drain-source current. The noise is unaffected by degrading the amorphous silicon through gate-biasing stress. Hooge¡¦s parameter is in the range 1-2*E-3 or 2-4*E-4 depending on whether the parameter is calculated using the total number of charge carriers in the accumulation layer or just the number of free carriers. As an example, the signal to noise ratio is calculated for photodiode detector gated by a TFT using the results from the noise measurements.

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No description available.

O ruído de baixa frequência é um limitador de desempenho em circuitos analógicos, digitais e de radiofrequência, introduzindo ruído de fase em osciladores e reduzindo a estabilidade de células SRAM, por exemplo. Transistores de efeito de campo de metalóxido- semicondutor (MOSFETs) são conhecidos pelos elevados níveis de ruído 1= f e telegráfico, cuja potência pode ser ordens de magnitude maior do que a observada para ruído térmico para frequências de até dezenas de kHz. Além disso, com o avanço da tecnologia, a frequência de corner —isto é, a frequência na qual as contribuições dos ruídos térmico e shot superam a contribuição do ruído 1= f — aumenta, tornando os ruídos 1= f e telegráfico os mecanismos dominantes de ruído na tecnologia CMOS para frequências de até centenas de MHz. Mais ainda, o ruído de baixa frequência em transistores nanométricos pode variar significativamente de dispositivo para dispositivo, o que torna a variabilidade de ruído um aspecto importante para tecnologias MOS modernas. Para assegurar o projeto adequado de circuitos do ponto de vista de ruído, é necessário, portanto, identificar os mecanismos fundamentais responsáveis pelo ruído de baixa frequência em MOSFETs e desenvolver modelos capazes de considerar as dependências do ruído com geometria, polarização e temperatura. Neste trabalho é proposta uma técnica para análise de ruído de baixa frequência baseada na autocorrelação dos espectros de ruído em função de parâmetros como frequência, polarização e temperatura. A metodologia apresentada revela informações importantes sobre os mecanismos responsáveis pelo ruído 1= f que são difíceis de obter de outras formas. As análises de correlação realizadas em três tecnologias CMOS comerciais (140 nm, 65 nm e 45 nm) fornecem evidências contundentes de que o ruído de baixa frequência em transistores MOS tipo-n e tipo-p é composto por um somatório de sinais telegráficos termicamente ativados. / Low-frequency noise (LFN) is a performance limiter for analog, digital and RF circuits, introducing phase noise in oscillators and reducing the stability of SRAM cells, for example. Metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs) are known for their particularly high 1= f and random telegraph noise levels, whose power may be orders of magnitude larger than thermal noise for frequencies up to dozens of kHz. With the technology scaling, the corner frequency — i.e. the frequency at which the contributions of thermal and shot noises to noise power overshadow that of the 1= f noise — is increased, making 1= f and random telegraph signal (RTS) the dominant noise mechanism in CMOS technologies for frequencies up to several MHz. Additionally, the LFN levels from device-to-device can vary several orders of magnitude in deeply-scaled devices, making LFN variability a major concern in advanced MOS technologies. Therefore, to assure proper circuit design in this scenario, it is necessary to identify the fundamental mechanisms responsible for MOSFET LFN, in order to provide accurate LFN models that account not only for the average noise power, but also for its variability and dependences on geometry, bias and temperature. In this work, a new variability-based LFN analysis technique is introduced, employing the autocorrelation of multiple LFN spectra in terms of parameters such as frequency, bias and temperature. This technique reveals information about the mechanisms responsible for the 1= f noise that is difficult to obtain otherwise. The correlation analyses performed on three different commercial mixed-signal CMOS technologies (140-nm, 65-nm and 40-nm) provide strong evidence that the LFN of both n- and p-type MOS transistors is primarily composed of the superposition of thermally activated random telegraph signals (RTS).

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The object of this thesis is to explore the low-frequency noise (LFN) in silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and lateral bipolar junction transistors (BJTs). The LFN of SiGe HBTs and lateral BJTs not only determines the lowest detectable signal limit but also induces phase noise in high-frequency applications. Characterizing the LFN behavior and understanding the physical noise mechanism, therefore, are very important to improve the device and circuit performance. The dissertation achieves the object by investigating the LFN of SiGe HBTs and lateral BJTs with different structures for performance optimization and radiation tolerance, as well as by building models that explain the physical mechanism of LFN in these advance bipolar technologies. The scope of this research is separated into two main parts: the LFN of SiGe HBTs; and the LFN of lateral BJTs. The research in the LFN of SiGe HBTs includes investigating the effects of interfacial oxide (IFO), temperature, geometrical dimensions, and proton radiation. It also includes utilizing physical models to probe noise mechanisms. The research in the LFN of lateral BJTs includes exploring the effects of doping and geometrical dimensions. The research work is envisioned to enhance the understanding of LFN in SiGe HBTs and lateral BJTs.

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This thesis details an in investigation of two problems arising during the testing of a jet engine in a test cell, namely the formation and ingestion of vortices and the generation and propagation of infrasound. Investigation involved the use of computational fluid dynamic as well as analytical tools. The author extended the work of previous researchers by investigating the effect when a suction inlet in surrounded by four walls, (as it is in a test cell). A previously suspected but not documented small region of unsteady vortex was discovered to lie between the steady vortex and no vortex regions. The preferential attachment of the vortex, when formed, to a particular surface was investigated and a low velocity region near that surface has been proven as a possible cause. A cell bypass ratio > 90% was found to be necessary to avoid the formation of vortices in typical situations. Parametric studies (conducted cetaris paribus) on four different geometries and flow parameters were also conducted to determine how they affected the vortex formation threshold. Boundary layer thickness on the vortex attachment surface, upstream vorticity, size of suction inlet was found to have a direct relationship with probability of vortex formation whereas Reynolds number of flow was found to have an inverse relationship. Three hypotheses regarding the generation and propagation of infrasound in test cells were analysed. The first hypothesis states that the fluctuating of flow within the test cell led to a periodic fluctuation of pressure. The second hypothesis predicts a change in flow conditions can leads to a change in the acoustic reflection characteristics of the blast basket perforates. The final hypothesis proposes that changing engine location and size of augmenter, can lead to a reduction in the slip velocity between the engine exhaust jet and the cell bypass flow thus reducing the engine jet noise. The first hypothesis has been disproved using CFD techniques, although the results are as yet inconclusive. The second and third hypotheses have been proven to be potentially feasible techniques to be employed in the future. The changes proposed in the final hypothesis are shown to reduce the engine jet noise by up to 5 dB.

Les exigences liées aux photodétecteurs modernes font de la maîtrise du niveau de bruit un enjeu majeur pour les technologies de demain. Le Random Telegraph Signal (RTS), à l'origine de « pixels clignotants » en imagerie, gênants pour l'utilisateur comme pour les algorithmes de traitement et d'analyse du signal, fait partie des sources de bruit problématiques. Ce travail en fait l'étude dans les détecteurs infrarouge quantiques refroidis à base de HgCdTe. Le premier chapitre présentera des généralités sur la détection infrarouge, le fonctionnement des photodétecteurs quantiques, le matériau HgCdTe, et le bruit. On exposera ensuite les études réalisées sur le bruit RTS dans les imageurs pour différents domaines de l'infrarouge et trois technologies de fabrication de photodiodes. L'évolution des caractéristiques du bruit (amplitude et fréquence) en fonction de la température du détecteur, du flux de photons reçus, de la polarisation appliquée, ou encore du temps d'intégration seront également analysées. Le troisième chapitre sera consacré à l'origine du bruit RTS. Pour cela, différentes architectures d'étages d'entrée de circuit de lecture et de technologies de fabrication de photodiodes seront passées en revue. Enfin, le dernier chapitre exposera l'étude par Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy des défauts profonds électriquement actifs dans la bande interdite du HgCdTe pour le proche infrarouge (Short Wave InfraRed, à 2,5µm). / Infrared detectors are currently facing two major issues: high operating temperature (HOT) and size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements. To maintain high performance at higher operating temperatures, pixels exhibiting extra noise such as 1/f noise or Random Telegraph Signal (RTS) noise must be limited. This work study the RTS noise in HgCdTe cooled infrared quantum detectors. The first part concerns generalities about the infrared detection, the physic of quantum photodetectors, the HgCdTe material and the noise. Then we present the studies made on RTS noise for different domains of the infrared spectra and for three technologies of photodiodes (Std, AOP and P/N). The evolution of the main features of RTS noise (frequency and amplitude) as a function of the focal plane array temperature, the flux of photons received, the integration time and the applied polarization will be analyzed. The third part is about the origin of the RTS noise. Two architectures of ReadOut Integrated Circuits (ROIC) and two technologies of photodiodes will be examined. Finally, the last part will present the study of electrically active defects in HgCdTe SWIR (2,5µm) made by Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy.