Abstract
Mechanism of hydrogen-release in the breakdown of silica (SiO2) thin films was investigated. Defect generation efficiency as a function of gate voltage and oxide thickness in wide ranges were determined using charge-to-breakdown statistics. It was observed that hydrogen-release mechanism in Si/SiO2interfaces tiggeres defect generation and consequently the dielectric breakdown of the oxides in the metal-oxide-semiconductor structures. The results show that multiple-electron-induced incoherent heating of Si-H bonds is not the hydrogen release mechanism involved in oxide breakdown.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 087601 |
| Pages (from-to) | 876011-876014 |
| Journal | Physical Review Letters |
| Volume | 92 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Publication status | Published - 27 Feb 2004 |