Effects of stress in TiSi2 gate metal-oxide-silicon structures

Abstract

Metal-oxide-silicon capacitors with TiSi2 gate were studied to determine the relation between gate-induced stress and the electrical characteristics of the system. TiSi2 is found to exert a compressive stress on the oxide film. With increasing silicide thickness, i.e., larger stress, the rate of trapping of injected electrons, which is a measure of the defect (trap) density, was found to increase. Moreover, the rate of generation of Si-SiO2 interface states upon electron injection shows a similar correlation with the stress.