Ultra-Thin Gate Oxide Reliability: Physical Models, Statistics, and Characterization

Published

June 1, 2002

Author(s)

John S. Suehle

Abstract

The present understanding of wear-out and breakdown in ultra-thin (t_ox2 gate dielectric films and issues relating to reliability projection are reviewed in this article. Recent evidence supporting a voltage driven model for defect generation and breakdown where energetic tunneling electrons induce defect generation and breakdown will be discussed. The concept of a critical number of defects required to cause breakdown and percolation theory will be used to describe the observed statistical failure distributions for ultra-thin gate dielectric breakdown. New observations of a voltage dependent voltage acceleration parameter and non-Arrhenius temperature dependence will be presented. The current understanding of soft breakdown will be discussed and proposed techniques for detecting breakdown presented. Finally, the implications of soft breakdown on circuit functionality and the applicability of applying current reliability characterization and analysis techniques to project the reliability of future alternative gate dielectrics will be discussed.

Citation

IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices

Volume

49

Issue

6

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

silicon dioxide, time dependent dielectric breakdown, reliability, CMOS, defect generation

Citation

Suehle, J. (2002), Ultra-Thin Gate Oxide Reliability: Physical Models, Statistics, and Characterization, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices (Accessed May 18, 2025)