Breakdown and degradation of ultrathin Hf-based (HfO2)x (SiO2)1-x gate oxide films

Ultrathin films of hafnium oxide (Hf O2) and hafnium silicate (Hf O2)x (Si O2)1-x gate stacks (∼3 nm) have been subjected to localized electrical stress with a conductive atomic force microscope (C-AFM) in ultrahigh vacuum. The nanoscale current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, prebreakdown temperature dependent I-V measurements on large area metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors, postbreakdown (BD) topography, current maps, and AFM tip-surface contact force are used to interpret the progressive degradation of the oxide under electrical stress. For the pre-BD phase, trap-assisted tunneling and Fowler-Nordheim tunneling were found to be dominant current transport mechanisms in Hf-based gate stacks contributing to oxide leakage current. For the post-BD phase, an overall effect of barrier limited tunneling current on the charge propagation is confirmed and related to post-BD conductivity features observed by constant voltage scanning. A critical trap density required to trigger a BD event of the ultrathin (Hf O2)x (Si O2)1-x Si O2 gate stacks is postulated. © 2009 American Vacuum Society.