Title
Local current fluctuations before and after breakdown of thin SiO2 films observed with conductive atomic force microscope
Abstract
Very thin SiO2 films (3–6 nm) have been characterized with a conductive atomic force microscope (C-AFM). The set-up allows the electrical characterization of 30–50 nm2 areas, which are of the order of single breakdown spots. Voltage ramps have been repeatedly applied to induce the degradation. On these spots, the phenomenology observed is quite similar to that during conventional electrical tests. In particular, on–off fluctuations before and after breakdown are reported on single breakdown spots. The results confirm the C-AFM as a suitable tool for the analysis of the gate oxide electrical properties and degradation dynamics at a nanometer scale.
Year
DOI
Venue
2001
10.1016/S0026-2714(01)00066-X
Microelectronics Reliability
Keywords
Field
DocType
atomic force microscope
Conductive atomic force microscopy,Atomic force microscopy,Voltage,Electrical conductor,Optics,Electronic engineering,Degradation (geology),Gate oxide,Nanometre,Engineering,Optoelectronics
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
41
7
0026-2714
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
1
0.77
0
Authors
6
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
M. Porti153.78
X. Blasco211.79
M. Nafrı́a342.20
X. Aymerich42112.21
A Olbrich511.45
B Ebersberger611.45