Extended Mie-Gruneisen molecular model for time dependent dielectric breakdown in silica detailing the critical roles of O-Si ident to O_3 tetragonal bonding, stretched bonds, hole capture, and hydrogen release

摘要

An extended Mie-Gruneisen molecular model is presented, which describes a bond-breakage process for O-Si ident to O_3 tetragonal molecules in silica and the trap-generation process that occurs during time dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) testing. This quantitative molecular model correctly describes important physics routinely reported for silica TDDB testing: the generation of E' centers, a breakdown strength of E_(bd) approx 15 MV/cm, an effective dipole-moment range of _(eff) =7-13 e A, and a zero-field activation energy range for bond breakage of triangle open H*_o = 1-2 eV. The bond-breakage/trap-generation mechanism is shown to occur when the Si ion transitions from its primary energy minimum (with fourfold coordination) to a secondary saddle point (with threefold coordination). The molecular model also shows clearly that current induced hole capture and hydrogen release can play critically important roles in the TDDB process.