Generation-annealing of oxide and interface traps at 150 and 298 K in oxidized silicon stressed by Fowler-Nordheim electron tunneling

Abstract

Generation and thermal annealing of oxide and interface traps at 150 and 298 K are investigated by Fowler-Norheim electron tunneling stress. Experiments indicate that the generation rate of positive oxide charges is higher at 150 than 298 K. This could be accounted for by the higher density of energetic electrons in the oxide and at gate/oxide interface at lower temperatures due to the larger electron-phonon scattering mean free path. The annealing rates of interface traps and negative oxide traps are higher at 298 than 150 K. The higher annealing rate of the interface traps by hydrogen at higher temperatures could be interpreted by the larger hydrogen arrival rate at the interface due to the larger hydrogen diffusivity in the silicon dioxide at higher temperatures. The higher annealing rate of negative oxide traps at higher temperatures is attributed to a higher emission rate of electrons trapped at the shallow neutral electron traps at higher temperatures.