Martin, A,Duane, R,O'Sullivan, P,Mathewson, A

1998

June

Microelectronics and Reliability

Dependence of gate oxide breakdown on initial charge trapping under Fowler-Nordheim injection

Validated

()

STRESS DEGRADATION GENERATION REGIME

38

1091

1096

This work demonstrates that for constant oxide reliability stresses in the Fowler-Nordheim regime a low initial rate of charge trapping/detrapping results in long times to breakdown. It was found for MOS gate oxides that when the initial trapping has been completed at low fields times to breakdown enhance. Depending on the stress sequence measurement results can vary significantly which is of great relevance for correct oxide lifetime predictions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.