Title :
Process variation during tunnel window formation and its impact on the reliability performance of FLOTOX EEPROM devices
Author :
Lai, Kah-Keen ; Lim, Peng-Soon ; Chim, Wai-Kin ; Pan, Yang
Author_Institution :
Chartered Semicond. Manuf. Ltd., Singapore
Abstract :
Process variation in the buffered oxide etch (BOE) duration during tunnel window formation can cause floating-gate tunnel-oxide (FLOTOX) electrically erasable and programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) devices to exhibit enhanced window closure effect during write/erase endurance tests. Electrical and physical characterisation of devices with insufficient BOE duration indicated the presence of a poor quality or “crabby” oxide region (exhibiting enhanced electron trapping) remaining after tunnel window formation before tunnel oxide growth
Keywords :
EPROM; dielectric thin films; electron traps; etching; integrated circuit manufacture; integrated circuit reliability; integrated circuit testing; tunnelling; BOE duration; FLOTOX EEPROM devices; buffered oxide etch duration; electrical characterisation; enhanced electron trapping; floating-gate tunnel-oxide electrically erasable programmable read-only memory; oxide region quality; physical characterisation; process variation; reliability performance; tunnel oxide growth; tunnel window formation; window closure effect; write/erase endurance tests; Atomic force microscopy; EPROM; Electron traps; Etching; Integrated circuit reliability; Mass spectroscopy; Notice of Violation; Photoelectron microscopy; Testing; Threshold voltage;
Conference_Titel :
Semiconductor Electronics, 2000. Proceedings. ICSE 2000. IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Guoman Port Dickson Resort
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-6430-9
DOI :
10.1109/SMELEC.2000.932462
