Modification of dielectric films in MIS structures using the injection-thermal treatment

Abstract

Dielectric films and silicon-insulator interfaces in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structures are modified using injection-thermal treatment, which involves high-field injection of a specified charge into the gate dielectric and subsequent annealing of the structure. The effect of the injection-thermal treatment modes on the MIS structure modification is investigated. The injection-thermal treatment is shown to reduce imperfection of the dielectric films and, thus, enhance reliability of the MIS devices. It is established that the MIS structure modification processes occurring at the injection-thermal treatment are largely identical to those occurring at the radiation-thermal treatment; therefore, for certain MIS devices, the radiation-thermal treatment can be replaced by the injection-thermal one.