A detailed analysis of the pre-breakdown current fluctuations in thin oxide MOS capacitors

Author

Neri, B. ; Crupi, F. ; Basso, G. ; Lombardo, S.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Inf. Eng., Pisa Univ., Italy

fYear

1999

fDate

1999

Firstpage

85

Lastpage

88

Abstract

The on-off fluctuations of the tunnel current preceding the breakdown of thin oxide MOS capacitors are analyzed using a low noise measurement system controlled by a personal computer. An automated procedure has been implemented which is capable of interrupting the stress a few seconds before breakdown, in order to perform the electrical characterization of the structure in pre-breakdown conditions. The relationships with other phenomena preceding breakdown (stress induced leakage current, SILC, and soft breakdown, SBD) are discussed

Keywords

MOS capacitors; MOS integrated circuits; current fluctuations; integrated circuit measurement; integrated circuit noise; integrated circuit reliability; integrated circuit testing; leakage currents; microcomputer applications; semiconductor device breakdown; tunnelling; SBD; SILC; SiO₂-Si; automated procedure; breakdown; electrical characterization; low noise measurement system; on-off fluctuations; personal computer; pre-breakdown conditions; pre-breakdown current fluctuations; soft breakdown; stress induced leakage current; stress interruption; thin oxide MOS capacitors; tunnel current; Conductivity; Electric breakdown; Fluctuations; Instruments; MOS capacitors; Noise measurement; Silicon; Stress; Testing; Thermal degradation;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Physical and Failure Analysis of Integrated Circuits, 1999. Proceedings of the 1999 7th International Symposium on the

Print_ISBN

0-7803-5187-8

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/IPFA.1999.791311

Filename

791311