Abstract
This work investigated the effects of interstitial oxygen [O i ] defects at the Si(111) surface on current conduction and charge trapping of metal-oxide-simiconductor devices with HfO x N y gate dielectric. Smaller gate leakage current, stress-induced leakage current (SILC) and defect generation rate, attributable to the decrease of [O i ] defect concentration at the HfO x N y /Si interface, were observed for devices with denuded zone. The current-conduction mechanism of the HfO x N y films at the low-and high-electrical field was dominated by the Schottky and Frenkel-Poole emissions, respectively. The trapped charges in HfO x N y dielectric were positive. The mechanism related to the SILC at low-electrical field can be explained using the interface trap-assisted tunneling. ©2004 American Institute of Physics.