Origin and repartition of the oxide fixed charges generated by electrical stress in memory tunnel oxide

摘要

A method is proposed to determine the origin and the spatial oxide fixed charge repartition in memory tunnel oxide from Fowler-Nordheim current measurements after electrical stress. The Poisson equation resolution in the dielectric layer is required to account for the nonsymmetric tunneling barrier deformation, resulting from charges generated within the dielectric layer. From current-voltage characteristics measurements and simulations, we have determined the spatial distribution of the oxide fixed charges within the dielectric layer of metal/SiO_(2)/metal structures. In addition, the kinetics of the oxide charge generation can be explained by a dispersive hydrogen transport model.