Title :
Pseudo-progressive breakdown of ultra-thin nitrided gate oxide
Author :
Reiner, Joachim C.
Author_Institution :
Dept. Electron./Metrol., EMPA, Dubendorf, Switzerland
Abstract :
The breakdown behaviour of n-MOSTs with nitrided ultra-thin gate oxide of about 1.6 nm effective oxide thickness (EOT) has been investigated. The leakage current versus time curves show a combination of spontaneous and successive breakdown, as well as multiple breakdown events on the same sample. The paper shows the phenomenon and discusses the implications for a proper selection of failure criteria for reliability assessment. Statistics of breakdown occurrence times yield more consistent data than that based on time to leakage current criterion.
Keywords :
MOSFET; dielectric thin films; leakage currents; semiconductor device breakdown; semiconductor device reliability; 1.6 nm; EOT; breakdown occurrence time statistics; effective oxide thickness; leakage current versus time curves; multiple breakdown events; n-MOST; pseudo-progressive breakdown; reliability assessment failure criteria; spontaneous breakdown; successive breakdown; ultra-thin nitrided gate oxide; Circuit noise; Current measurement; Digital circuits; Electric breakdown; Leakage current; Silicon; Statistical analysis; Statistics; Stress; Voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Integrated Reliability Workshop Final Report, 2004 IEEE International
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-8517-9
DOI :
10.1109/IRWS.2004.1422761
