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Title: Charge transport in ultra thin silicon nitrides

Abstract

The conduction current in silicon nitride increases even at constant electric field as the nitride thickness is reduced to less than 5 nm in oxide equivalent thickness (t{sub eq}). In order to analyze the charge transport in the ultra thin nitrides less than 5 nm t{sub eq}, the authors measured the thickness and temperature dependence of conduction current through nitrides of 3.4 to 10.2 nm t{sub eq}, in the temperature range from 77 to 398 K. Current increase was observed in both the tunnel emission component, which is thickness dependent, and in the temperature-dependent component. The temperature-dependent current component was dominant at high temperatures and low fields in the ultra thin nitride. The method of separating the electron and hole currents was used for both n and p-channel metal-nitride-silicon transistors, to study the charge transport in nitrides from 3.8 to 8.6 nm t{sub eq}, at 296 and 398 K. The increase in the number of electrons injected into the nitride was larger than the increase in the number of holes injected into the nitride when the nitride thickness was reduced. The increase in electron current flowing out of the nitride was also large compared with the increase in hole currentmore » flowing out of the nitride. The authors claim that the contribution of electrons to the total charge transport is increased with the reduction in nitride thickness. Finally, they discussed the dependence of the breakdown field on nitride thickness in oxide/nitride/oxide structures. They claim that top and bottom oxides should be as thin as possible to obtain the high breakdown field.« less

Authors:
; ;  [1]
  1. Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Hyogo (Japan). ULSI Lab.
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
40332
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of the Electrochemical Society
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 142; Journal Issue: 3; Other Information: PBD: Mar 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; SILICON NITRIDES; ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY; THIN FILMS; ELECTRON TRANSFER; DIELECTRIC MATERIALS; CAPACITORS; SAMPLE PREPARATION

Citation Formats

Kobayashi, Kiyoteru, Teramoto, Akinobu, and Hirayama, Makoto. Charge transport in ultra thin silicon nitrides. United States: N. p., 1995. Web. doi:10.1149/1.2048573.
Kobayashi, Kiyoteru, Teramoto, Akinobu, & Hirayama, Makoto. Charge transport in ultra thin silicon nitrides. United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2048573
Kobayashi, Kiyoteru, Teramoto, Akinobu, and Hirayama, Makoto. 1995. "Charge transport in ultra thin silicon nitrides". United States. https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2048573.
@article{osti_40332,
title = {Charge transport in ultra thin silicon nitrides},
author = {Kobayashi, Kiyoteru and Teramoto, Akinobu and Hirayama, Makoto},
abstractNote = {The conduction current in silicon nitride increases even at constant electric field as the nitride thickness is reduced to less than 5 nm in oxide equivalent thickness (t{sub eq}). In order to analyze the charge transport in the ultra thin nitrides less than 5 nm t{sub eq}, the authors measured the thickness and temperature dependence of conduction current through nitrides of 3.4 to 10.2 nm t{sub eq}, in the temperature range from 77 to 398 K. Current increase was observed in both the tunnel emission component, which is thickness dependent, and in the temperature-dependent component. The temperature-dependent current component was dominant at high temperatures and low fields in the ultra thin nitride. The method of separating the electron and hole currents was used for both n and p-channel metal-nitride-silicon transistors, to study the charge transport in nitrides from 3.8 to 8.6 nm t{sub eq}, at 296 and 398 K. The increase in the number of electrons injected into the nitride was larger than the increase in the number of holes injected into the nitride when the nitride thickness was reduced. The increase in electron current flowing out of the nitride was also large compared with the increase in hole current flowing out of the nitride. The authors claim that the contribution of electrons to the total charge transport is increased with the reduction in nitride thickness. Finally, they discussed the dependence of the breakdown field on nitride thickness in oxide/nitride/oxide structures. They claim that top and bottom oxides should be as thin as possible to obtain the high breakdown field.},
doi = {10.1149/1.2048573},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/40332}, journal = {Journal of the Electrochemical Society},
number = 3,
volume = 142,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Wed Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}