We have compared the thermal damage in ultrathin gate layers of 5.6 and 3 nm thickness after intrinsic dielectric breakdown due to constant voltage Fowler–Nordheim stress. The power dissipated through the metal–oxide–semiconductor capacitor during the breakdown transient, measured with high time resolution, strongly decreases with oxide thickness. This is reflected in a noticeable reduction of the thermal damage found in the structure after breakdown. The effect can be explained as the consequence of the lower amount of defects present in the oxide at the breakdown instant and of the occurrence of a softer breakdown in the initial spot. The present data allow us to estimate the power threshold at the boundary between soft and hard breakdown, and they are compared to numerical simulations of heat flow.
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3 September 2001
Research Article|
September 03 2001
Reduction of thermal damage in ultrathin gate oxides after intrinsic dielectric breakdown
S. Lombardo;
S. Lombardo
Istituto Nazionale di Metodologie e Tecnologie per la Microelettronica (IMETEM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, stradale Primosole, 50, I-95121 Catania, Italy
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A. La Magna;
A. La Magna
Istituto Nazionale di Metodologie e Tecnologie per la Microelettronica (IMETEM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, stradale Primosole, 50, I-95121 Catania, Italy
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I. Crupi;
I. Crupi
Istituto Nazionale di Metodologie e Tecnologie per la Microelettronica (IMETEM), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, stradale Primosole, 50, I-95121 Catania, Italy
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C. Gerardi;
C. Gerardi
STMicroelectronics, Central R & D, Catania Technology Center, stradale Primosole, 50, I-95121 Catania, Italy
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F. Crupi
F. Crupi
Dipartimento di Fisica della Materia e Tecnologie Fisiche Avanzate and INFM, Università di Messina, salita Sperone 31, I-98166 Messina, Italy
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Appl. Phys. Lett. 79, 1522–1524 (2001)
Article history
Received:
March 15 2001
Accepted:
July 06 2001
Citation
S. Lombardo, A. La Magna, I. Crupi, C. Gerardi, F. Crupi; Reduction of thermal damage in ultrathin gate oxides after intrinsic dielectric breakdown. Appl. Phys. Lett. 3 September 2001; 79 (10): 1522–1524. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1400083
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