<i>In situ</i> electric field simulation in metal/insulator/metal capacitors

Abstract

The authors report in this letter the effect of interface topography on metal/insulator/metal (MIM) capacitor electrical properties. This analysis was carried out by numerical simulations of the electric field established in a MIM structure with a 45nm thick Ta2O5 film. The metal/insulator interface profiles have been extracted from transmission electron microscopy micrographs of a fully integrated device. This in situ approach allows direct comparison between electrical properties and numerical simulations performed on the same device. Results show that the bottom electrode’s surface roughness induces a large electric field increase at the interface which could explain MIM capacitor’s asymmetrical electrical behavior.