Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T07:44:11.671Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown in Thin Intrinsic SiO2 Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

J. S. Suehle  and
P. Chaparala
J. S. Suehle
Affiliation:
Semiconductor Electronics Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899
P. Chaparala
Affiliation:
Center for Reliability Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742
Get access

Abstract

Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown studies were performed on 6.5-, 9-, 15-, 20-, and 22.5- nm thick SiO2 films over a wide range of stress temperatures and electric fields. Very high temperatures (400 °C) were used to accelerate breakdown so that stress tests could be performed at low electric fields close to those used for device operating conditions. The results indicate that the dependence of TDDB on electric field and temperature is different from that reported in earlier studies. Specifically, the electric-field-acceleration parameter is independent of temperature and the thermal activation energy was determined to be between 0.7 and 0.9 eV for stress fields below 7.0 MV/cm.

Failure distributions of high-quality current-generation oxide films are shown to be of single mode and have dispersions that are not sensitive to stress electric field or temperature, unlike distributions observed for oxides examined in earlier studies. These results have implications on the choice of the correct physical model to describe TDDB in thin films. The data also demonstrate for the first time the reliability of silicon dioxide films at very high temperatures.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 386: Symposium O – Ultraclean Semiconductor Processing Technology and Surface , 1995 , 227
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1] Crook, D. L., “Method of Determining Reliability Screens for Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown,” Proc. Rel. Phys. Symp., 17, p. 1 (1979).Google Scholar
[2] Berman, A., “Time Zero Dielectric Reliability Test by a Ramp Method,” Proc. Rel. Phys. Symp., 19, p. 204 (1981).Google Scholar
[3] McPherson, J. W. and Baglee, D. A., “Acceleration Factors for Thin Gate Oxide Stressing,” Proc. Rel. Phys. Symp., 23, p. 1 (1985).Google Scholar
[4] Chen, I. C., Holland, S. E., and Hu, C., “Electrical Breakdown in Thin Gate and Tunneling Oxides,” IEEE Trans. on Electron Devices, Vol. ED–32, No. 2, p. 413 (1985).Google Scholar
[5] Lee, J. C., Chen, I. C., and Hu, C., “Statistical Modeling of Silicon Dioxide Reliability”, Proc. Rel. Phys. Symp., 26, p. 131 (1988).Google Scholar
[6] Moazzami, R., Lee, J. C., and Hu, C., “Temperature Acceleration of Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown,” IEEE Trans. on Electron Devices, Vol. ED–36, No. 11, p. 2462 (1989).Google Scholar
[7] Suehle, J. S., Chaparala, P., and Messick, C., “High Temperature Reliability of Thin Film SiO2 ,” Second International High Temperature Electronics Conference, Charlotte, NC, June 5–10, p. VIII–15 (1994).Google Scholar
[8] Suehle, J. S., Chaparala, P., Messick, C., Miller, W. M., and Boyko, K. C., “Field and Temperature Acceleration of Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown in Intrinsic Thin SiO2,” Proc. IRPS, No. 32 p. 120, 1994.Google Scholar
[9] Yamabe, K. and Taniguchi, K., “Time-Dependent Dielectric Breakdown of Thin Thermally Grown SiO2 Films,” IEEE Trans. on Electron Devices, Vol. ED–32, No. 2, p. 427 (1985).Google Scholar
[10] Monserie, C. and Mortini, P., “Breakdown Characteristics of Gate and Tunnel Oxides Versus Field and Temperature,” Quality and Reliability International, Vol.9, John Wiley & Sons, p. 321 (1993).Google Scholar
[11] Boyko, K. C. and Gerlach, D. L., “Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown of 210 A Oxides,” Proc. Rel. Phys. Symp., 27, p. 1 (1989).Google Scholar
[12] Shiono, N. and Itsumi, M., “A Lifetime Projection Method Using Series Model and Acceleration Factors for TDDB Failures of Thin Gate Oxide,” Proc. Rel. Phys. Symp., 31, p. 1 (1993).Google Scholar
[13] Prendergast, J., Suehle, J. S., Chaparala, P., Murphy, E., and Stephenson, M., “TDDB Characterization of Thin SiO2 Films With BiModal Failure Populations,” Proc. IRPS, No. 33, p. (1995).Google Scholar