Title :
Ultra-thin gate dielectrics: they break down, but do they fail?
Author :
Weir, B.E. ; Silverman, P.J. ; Monroe, D. ; Krisch, K.S. ; Alam, M.A. ; Alers, G.B. ; Sorsch, T.W. ; Timp, G.L. ; Baumann, F. ; Liu, C.T. ; Ma, Y. ; Hwang, D.
Author_Institution :
Lucent Technol., Bell Labs., Murray Hill, NJ, USA
Abstract :
We study breakdown in high-quality 2-7 nm gate dielectrics, and find that soft breakdown becomes more likely for thinner oxides and for oxides stressed at lower voltages. For 2 nm oxides, an increase in gate noise is the only precise indication of soft breakdown. For many applications, devices should remain functional with the level of gate noise we have observed, after soft breakdown.
Keywords :
dielectric thin films; electric breakdown; failure analysis; failure; noise; oxide; soft breakdown; ultrathin gate dielectric; Breakdown voltage; Current density; Dielectric breakdown; Electric breakdown; Ellipsometry; Furnaces; Noise level; Testing; Thermal degradation; Thermal stresses;
Conference_Titel :
Electron Devices Meeting, 1997. IEDM '97. Technical Digest., International
Conference_Location :
Washington, DC, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-4100-7
DOI :
10.1109/IEDM.1997.649463
