MECHANISM FOR STRESS-INDUCED LEAKAGE CURRENTS IN THIN SILICON DIOXIDEFILMS

Leakage currents introduced in the low-field, direct-tunneling regime of thin oxides during high-field stress are related to defects produce d by hot-electron transport in the oxide layer. From these studies, it is concluded that the ''generation'' of neutral electron traps in thi n oxides is the dominant cause of this phenomenon, Other mechanisms du e to anode hole injection or oxide nonuniformities are shown to be unr ealistic for producing these currents. Exposure of thin oxides to atom ic hydrogen from a remote plasma is shown to cause leakage currents si milar to those observed after high-field stress, supporting the conclu sion that these currents are related to hydrogen-induced defects. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.