Observation of Poole-Frenkel effect saturation in SiO2 and other insulating films

An experimental method for observing the saturation of the Poole-Frenkel (P F) effect in insulating films is developed, allowing observation of this th eoretically predicted effect for the first time. This method is also applie d to measure the ionization potential of Coulombic attractive traps in SiO2 films. New insights into the temperature variation of the PF effect shed l ight on the range of validity of the classical model of Frenkel. These meth ods and insights are general and can be applied to many insulating films, p articularly those with leakage currents dominated by field-enhanced thermal emission. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.