Abstract
There exists a strong correlation between the nitrogen concentration profile and infrared (IR) spectroscopy in gate oxynitrides for metal-oxide-Si (MOS) devices. The hot-electron hardness of the MOS device depends strongly on the nitrogen concentration profile in the gate oxide. It is experimentally found that the concentration ratios of nitrogen at SiO 2 /Si to the maximum amount of nitrogen in the oxide bulk ([N] int. /[N] max. bulk ) are proportional to the values of IR peak positions of Si-O stretching bonds. A larger value of [N] int. /[N] max. bulk indicates a better hot-electron hardness of the MOS device, which can be explained by a reduction of SiO 2 /Si interfacial strain. The hot-electron hardness in the MOS device can be easily assessed by the IR signals of gate oxynitrides. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.