This work seeks to describe the thermalization of electrons at a silicon/silicon dioxide interface representative of a power MOSFET device. The interface is characterized in one case by hydrogen passivated silicon bonds, and in the other case without the hydrogen. It has been shown experimentally that the hydrogen improves device performance, but that the longevity of the hydrogen is limited. Therefore, the reliability of a device with hydrogen is uncertain. Through modeling and simulation, the physical processes governing the device behavior will be examined. The analysis will be performed using Monte Carlo techniques that follow single electrons. The scattering will be determined from cross-sections of the important scatterers in the problem. In the present case, the cross-sections for silicon and hydrogen can be obtained from the literature. However, the hydrogen-silicon bonds represent a modified phonon distribution. This distribution has been measured experimentally, and can be incorporated into the simulation through a modified cross-section at the interface. Careful description of the physical process will lead to an evaluation of device performance. Parametric studies can then lead to enhanced device designs.
