Superstable neutral electron traps in nonplanar thermal oxides on monocrystalline silicon

The existence of superstable neutral electron traps is reported for thermal oxides on nonplanar monocrystalline silicon. These traps are located at th e nonplanar corners of the oxide and have measured thermal detrapping energ ies up to 3.3 eV, nearly an order of magnitude larger than previously obser ved for planar oxides on monocrystalline silicon. The most likely physical reason for the extremely high stability is relaxation of the strain stress at the corner caused by the trapping of electrons. (C) 2000 American Instit ute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)04016-X].