H-induced positive charging is observed at both the top Si/SiO2 and bo
ttom SiO2/Si interfaces in Si/SiO2/Si structures. The response of the
H Induced positive charge to thermal annealing and electron injection
is very different from that of simple oxygen vacancy hole traps in SiO
2. To explain this H-induced positive charging, we propose a scheme in
which H reacts to form positively charged over-coordinated oxygen cen
ters in close proximity to both top and bottom interfaces. The anneali
ng-induced entity may also provide a natural explanation for the origi
n of the fixed oxide charge that forms during oxidation of Si. (C) 199
6 American Institute of Physics.