Various process modifications have been used to minimize SiO₂ gate oxide aging in metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). In particular, post-metallization annealing (PMA) with a deuterium ambient can effectively eliminate both bulk traps and interface traps in the gate oxide. However, even with the use of PMA, it remains difficult to prevent high levels of radiation-induced gate oxide damage such as total ionizing dose (TID) during long-term missions. In this context, additional low-temperature heat treatment (LTHT) is proposed to recover from radiation-induced damage. Positive traps in the damaged gate oxide can be neutralized using LTHT, thereby prolonging device reliability in harsh radioactive environments.

In a solar cell, degradation refers to the decrease in performance parameters caused by defects originated due to various causes. During the fabrication process of solar cells, degradation is generally related to the processes such as passivation or firing. There exist sources of many types of degradation; however, the exact cause of Light and elevated Temperature Induced Degradation (LeTID) is yet to be determined. It is reported that the degradation and the regeneration occur due to the recombination of hydrogen and an arbitrary substance. In this paper, we report the deposition of Al₂O₃ and SiN_X on silicon wafers used in the Passivated Emitter and Rear Contact (PERC) solar structure and its degradation pattern. A higher degradation rate was observed in the sample with single layer of Al₂O₃ only, which indicates that the degradation is affected by the presence or the absence of a passivation thin film. In order to alleviate the degradation, optimization of different steps should be carried out in consideration of degradation in the solar cell fabrication process.