On the correlation between interface defects, positive oxide charge and hole fluence throughout the oxide

Fowler-Nordheim tunneling injection was performed, from the substrate, in a n n-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor with polycrys talline silicon gate. We explain the injection of hot holes in the oxide by an anode hole injection model. We compare behaviors of the anode hole curr ent, the generated positive oxide charge, and the kinetics of interface sta te creation, according to the oxide thickness. We deduce two things from it : on one hand, mechanisms of interface state and oxide positive charge crea tion would be the same, and on the other hand, holes created at the anode w ould cause deterioration of the Si/SiO2 interface. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc e B.V. All rights reserved.