Title :
Effects of carbon on charge loss in EPROM structures
Author :
Barker, Stephen A.
Author_Institution :
Intel Corp., Hillsboro, OR, USA
Abstract :
Charge loss failures on EPROM (erasable programmable read only memory) devices are conclusively linked to the presence of carbon in oxidizing ambients. Oxides grown in hydrogen chloride (HCl) and trichloroethane (TCA) are compared on polysilicon and single crystal substrates. Both product and test structures are used for evaluation oxide quality. Carbon dioxide (CO/sub 2/) injected into HCl oxidation cycles is used to isolate carbon as the cause of device yield degradation. TCA oxidations are shown to be similar in result to CO/sub 2/ enhanced HCl oxidations. Elemental analysis of silicon substrates oxidized in carbon bearing atmospheres reveals an accumulation of carbon at the oxide-silicon interface.<>
Keywords :
EPROM; carbon; circuit reliability; failure analysis; integrated memory circuits; oxidation; semiconductor-insulator boundaries; C; CO/sub 2/; CO/sub 2/ enhanced HCl oxidations; CO/sub 2/-HCl; EPROM structures; HCl oxidation cycles; carbon bearing atmospheres; charge leakage; charge loss failures; erasable programmable read only memory; oxide quality; oxide-semiconductor interface; oxidizing ambients; polysilicon; single crystal substrates; trichloroethane; Capacitors; Carbon dioxide; Circuit testing; Dielectric substrates; EPROM; Human computer interaction; Manufacturing; Oxidation; PROM; Silicon;
Conference_Titel :
Reliability Physics Symposium, 1991, 29th Annual Proceedings., International
Conference_Location :
Las Vegas, NV, USA
Print_ISBN :
0-87942-680-2
DOI :
10.1109/RELPHY.1991.146009
