A Comparison of Radiation-Induced and High-Field Electrically Stress-Induced Interface Defects in Si/SiO₂ MOSFETs via Electrically Detected Magnetic Resonance

Abstract

We utilize electrically detected magnetic resonance (EDMR) measurements to compare high-field stressed, and gamma irradiated Si/SiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> metal–oxide–silicon (MOS) structures. We utilize spin-dependent recombination (SDR) EDMR detected using the Fitzgerald and Grove dc <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$I-V$ </tex-math></inline-formula> approach to compare the effects of high-field electrical stressing and gamma irradiation on defect formation at and near the Si/SiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> interface. As anticipated, both greatly increase the concentration of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$P_{b}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> centers (silicon dangling bonds at the interface) densities. The irradiation also generated a significant increase in the dc <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$I-V$ </tex-math></inline-formula> EDMR response of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$E^{\prime }$ </tex-math></inline-formula> centers (oxygen vacancies in the SiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> films), whereas the generation of an <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$E^{\prime }$ </tex-math></inline-formula> EDMR response in high-field stressing is much weaker than in the gamma irradiation case. These results likely suggest a difference in their physical distribution resulting from radiation damage and high electric field stressing.