DAMAGE-INDUCED BY CARRIER INJECTION IN 8 NM THICK OXIDES AND NITRIDEDOXIDES

Charge trapping and interface trap creation phenomena observed in 8 nm thick thermally grown oxides and oxides nitrided by low pressure ammo nia plasma are reported. These phenomena are observed for samples subj ected to uniform high-field current injection. It is demonstrated that trap creation is limited to the generation of interface states. No el ectron trapping and no positive charge generation are observed for inj ected fluences ranging from 10(-6) - 10(2) C/cm(2) at oxide fields in the range 8-11 MV/cm. Quite similar trap creation rates and kinetics a re observed in both samples, which demonstrates the good reliability p erformance of the nitrided oxide. Results are discussed in terms of im pact ionization and trap creation by hydrogen-related species models.