ELECTRICAL RELIABILITY AND STRUCTURAL INHOMOGENEITY OF THERMALLY GROWN SIO2

We discuss the electrical reliability and the spectral shape of the in frared absorption in SiO2 and then using the percolation theory presen t a new theoretical approach to the dielectric breakdown. We show the significant oxide thickness dependence of oxide deteriorations and a u niversal temperature dependence of the charge-to-breakdown, irrespecti ve of the injection polarity or the oxide growth condition. On the oth er hand, the thickness dependence of IR absorption spectra indicates a spectral shape broadening into the lower energy near the Si/SiO2 inte rface. These findings are physically investigated and, using the perco lation theory, incorporated into a breakdown model of the a-SiO2 with randomly distributed bond strength.