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Ultra-Thin gate Oxide Breakdown: A Failure that we can live with?

Published

Author(s)

John S. Suehle

Abstract

As gate oxides are scaled down in thickness in current technologies, the breakdown event caused by TDDB becomes 'softer'. In current technologies where the oxide thickness is less than 2 nm, the breakdown event has become so soft that in some cases circuit functionality is not significantly affected. In fact, IC manufacturers can extend chip reliability by allowing multiple gate oxide breakdown events to occur before considering the life of the chip is over.
Citation
Electronic Device Failure Analysis
Volume
6
Issue
1

Keywords

breakdown, gate oxide, reliability, silicon dioxide

Citation

Suehle, J. (2004), Ultra-Thin gate Oxide Breakdown: A Failure that we can live with?, Electronic Device Failure Analysis (Accessed March 29, 2024)
Created February 1, 2004, Updated January 27, 2020