A non-defect precursor gate oxide breakdown model

Published

June 16, 2023

Author(s)

Kin (Charles) Cheung

Abstract

Understanding defect creation is central to efforts to comprehend gate dielectric breakdown in metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs). While gate dielectrics other than SiO2 are now popular, models develop for SiO2 breakdown are used for these dielectrics too. Considering that the Si-O bond is very strong, modeling efforts have focused in ways to weaken it so that defect creation (bond-breaking) is commensurate with experimental observations. So far, bond-breaking models rely on defect-precursors to make the energetics manageable. Here it is argued that the success of the percolation model for gate oxide breakdown precludes the role of defect precursors in gate oxide breakdown. It is proposed that defect creation involves "normal" Si-O bonds. This new model relies on the fact that hole transport in SiO2 is in the form of a small polaron – meaning that it creates a transient local distortion as it travels. It is this transient distortion that enables normal Si-O bonds to be weakened (albeit transiently) enough that breaking the bonds at a rate commensurate with measurements becomes possible without the help of the externally applied field.

Citation

Journal of Applied Physics

Volume

133

Issue

23

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0146394

Local Download

Keywords

gate oxide, breakdown, precursor, hole transport, small polaron, lone-pair, percolation model.

Citation

Cheung, K. (2023), A non-defect precursor gate oxide breakdown model, Journal of Applied Physics, [online], https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0146394, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=935952 (Accessed December 3, 2024)