A model for the formation of leakage currents in the dielectrics of MOS structures under the effect of heavy charged particles

Abstract

The degradation of the undergate dielectric of MOS structures belongs to the main factors determining the service life of modern CMOS VLSIs. The experimental data indicate that the effect of heavy charged particles leads to lowering the reliability characteristics of thin (thinner than 10 nm) dielectrics and the appearance of leakage currents. As this takes place, the effects caused by the effect of heavy charged particles turn out to be latent. In the article, a model of the formation of the leakage current of the dielectric caused by the effect of heavy charged particles is proposed. The model is based on the solution of the set of kinetic equations and makes it possible to overcome a series of limitations of the known percolation approach.